INTERVIEW
Erlon de Freitas Pereira, Global Director Citrus Business Development Flavor & Nutrition at Symrise, discusses the future of citrus.
How important is citrus for the global flavor market?
Citrus plays a key role in both the flavor and fragrance markets because so many things either taste or smell of citrus. Citrus has a rich history that goes back a long way. Bitter, sweet, acidic and refreshing, it has awakened our senses for thousands of years. Citrus fruits have health benefits, too, and it’s hard for us to imagine our diet without them – especially because they are so high in vitamin C.
What exactly is the market for citrus flavors worth?
Around 800 million to 1 billion euros a year. Citrus represents 20 to 25 percent of the entire flavor market. In fact, 50 to 55 percent of the worldwide beverage market is based on citrus. Beverages are the most dynamic segment of the whole food and beverage industry, which is growing at an incredible rate of 4.6 percent a year.
Why did Symrise choose to base its activities in Brazil?
Brazil produces about half the world’s oranges and has become the most important location for processing them, too. The flavor industry needs the byproducts of orange processing, like oils and peels. We’ve got a tactical and strategic advantage over our competitors because Sorocaba is smack in the middle of the Brazilian citrus belt. In fact, 85 percent of Brazilian orange production takes place within 300 kilometers of Sorocaba. Brazil isn’t affected by hurricanes or frost, either, unlike Florida, meaning failed harvests or supply chain disruptions are far less likely. Production is continuous.
Does the Sococaba site offer any other advantages?
It certainly does. We are right at the heart of the present and future citrus industry. We’re also close to Argentina, which is the world’s biggest lemon processor today. Sixty-five percent of all lemon products come from Argentina. Another advantage is that the energy supply in Brazil is based on a more efficient, more sustainable energy matrix than in Florida. We gain biofuels like ethanol from sugar cane and use hydropower, too. Brazil has a more stable long-term energy price scenario since we’re not dependent on oil.
What exactly is Naturally Citrus!®?
It’s our global brand, our innovative platform for concentrating and communicating our strategic vision. Our Naturally Citrus!® brand simply and clearly brings together our core values: True to Fruit, True to Nature and True to Life. This means that we have the largest selection of unmistakable citrus flavors in our portfolio, produced with cutting-edge technologies that are optimized and very efficient. We can supply our customers with unique, fresh, stable flavors and products that are constantly being developed in line with what consumers and the market require. We have the technological know-how and experience to link consumer wishes to the requirements of the industry. Being close to the world’s most important citrus-growing region gives us an enormous advantage. The techniques we are using at our new Global Citrus Center here in Sorocaba, our connections to the region, our most recent investment in new technologies and shorter work processes all guarantee a reliable, sustainable and uninterrupted supply chain.
What does that mean exactly?
Our range of tried and tested technologies on the one hand, our analytical capabilities on the other, oriented by our understanding about consumers form the core of what we represent in the market. Our safe, responsive and sustainable value chain enables us to produce authentic, unique, stable citrus products – tailor-made taste solutions for end users in their respective markets. A stable product is one of the mainstays of the beverage industry. Our leading and innovative encapsulation, extraction and isolation technologies enable us to remove components that are susceptible to oxidation and degradation.
What’s the future of citrus for Symrise?
There are definitely two great megatrends worldwide: wellness and sustainability. These trends will influence our lives and they also influence the way consumers choose brands. Because of that, big and well-established brands will have to evolve in that direction. We help our customers reinvent their products by gaining insight into what consumers want. We use the latest methods to do so and find gaps in the process. These we translate into innovations and new products that fill those gaps. We need to continue investing in research projects related to key areas for our business and to establish strong partnerships with well-known institutions and companies that can leverage our competence in citrus – that’s definitely the way we see the future. Here’s a quick example: at this moment Symrise is working with HYVE (NetnographyInsights®) to move forward an innovative study based entirely on online research. The focus of the project is an in-depth study of how consumers respond to citrus products with the aim of learning how consumers identify with the major brands in the area.
