The global supplier of ingredients for flavors, fragrances, food and health has joined forces with Florida Polytechnic University to create a Citrus Innovation Center in Lakeland, Florida.
Located in the heart of Florida’s citrus belt, this 30,000 square foot facility encompasses state-of-the-art capabilities in botanical research leveraging IFF natural ingredients expertise, processing, analytics, product creation for scent and taste, and includes a 360-degree digital immersion room.
The Citrus Innovation Center will focus on applications in food and beverage, fine fragrance, body care, and fabric and home care.
“Citrus is vital to our creations in scent and taste, with enormous potential for innovation across our businesses,” said Erik Fyrwald, CEO of International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF). “The Citrus Innovation Center embodies our unwavering dedication to innovation, and our commitment to creating enduring external partnerships that help us to bring leading solutions to our customers while doing more good for people and planet.”
Supporting approximately 40 jobs, the facility is designed to foster collaborative innovation partnerships. It boasts direct access to industry-leading experts, academia and on-site prototyping capabilities, enabling customized solutions.
According to Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University: “This powerful collaboration will accelerate discovery and technological advancement in the flavor and fragrance industry, while marking the beginning of a research park that will fuel innovation and economic growth.”
