New management, and daring ambitions at Eurofragance

Premium Magnificence Information – What have been your priorities throughout your eight years as CEO of Eurofragance?

Laurent Mercier – Once I took over the administration of Eurofragance in 2018, the corporate had a turnover of EUR 50 million, a single manufacturing website in Spain, restricted subsidiaries, however a big export enterprise, significantly to the Center East. The problem was to construction that progress. We opted for a measured enlargement, concentrating on chosen key markets. It was a ‘extra with much less’ technique: producing extra enterprise with fewer dispersed initiatives. We additionally made strategic decisions, reminiscent of scaling again in some areas to strengthen our impression the place we had been already established.

Premium Magnificence Information – How did you construction the group?

Laurent Mercier – In 2018, we made an actual change by adopting a matrix administration mannequin. The intention was to provide extra autonomy to the areas, whereas sustaining total consistency. Our design centres in Barcelona, Mexico, Singapore, Mumbai and shortly Jakarta are on the coronary heart of this method. Every one manages its market utilizing the identical instruments and shared strategies and sources. This strategy allows us to handle native wants whereas leveraging a worldwide construction. The end result is larger effectivity, quicker responsiveness, and, above all, sustainable progress with agility.

Premium Magnificence Information – What are Eurofragance’s key markets right this moment?

Laurent Mercier – Our two historic markets, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, stay central. We now have strengthened our presence there as a result of these markets have grown significantly. In Latin America, we’re specializing in Mexico, the place we have now a subsidiary and a creation centre. In Europe, our two main markets are Spain, our nation of origin, and Turkey.

In Asia, our precedence is Indonesia, a strategic nation the place we’ll strengthen our presence, notably with a future creation centre. Vietnam can also be a fast-growing marketplace for us. As is India, after all, the place we opened a subsidiary and a artistic centre final 12 months, and which is changing into one in every of our pillars. We’re making ready a significant industrial venture close to Mumbai for 2026.

Premium Magnificence Information – Joan Pere Jiménez, what’s your strategic imaginative and prescient for the longer term?

Joan Pere Jiménez – I tackle the management of Eurofragance after eleven years with the corporate — first in operations, then within the discipline throughout key areas from the Center East to Asia. For the previous two years, as Chief Market Officer, I’ve been liable for overseeing our enterprise and subsidiaries.

This transition is according to the strategic plan we launched six years in the past, with two principal pillars: focused geographical enlargement and digital transformation. The objective is to remain deeply engaged within the discipline, working carefully with our subsidiaries to totally grasp the actual dynamics of every area and to assist our prospects by contemplating their markets, customers, and opponents.

In parallel, we’re driving a significant technological transformation to assist progress, with investments in IT programs, course of digitalisation, CRM instruments, and AI. This structural venture, already underway with a greater than EUR 10 million funds, goals to construct interconnected, high-performance programs throughout all markets — enhancing each the agility and the standard of our service.

Premium Magnificence Information – How is Eurofragance increasing globally?

Laurent Mercier – We at present have three manufacturing websites. The principle one is in Spain, our historic birthplace, which provides Europe, Africa, Turkey and the Center East. It’s our flagship website, which was fully modernised final 12 months following a EUR 10 million funding. We even have a website in Mexico, which is smaller however strategic for Latin America, an space the place we plan to strengthen our capabilities. And one other in Singapore, which permits us to successfully serve Southeast Asia. As well as, we have now two agreements with companions in China and India to supply regionally when it is smart.

We now have launched into a significant venture in India, scheduled for early 2026. Our objective was to determine a second giant sourcing and manufacturing website to enhance our principal facility in Spain, whereas India’s proximity to Dubai additionally opens the door to new alternatives.

Joan Pere Jiménez – India and Indonesia, two large and quickly rising markets, are clear priorities for us. Strengthening our presence there calls for deep shopper insights and vital investments. In Indonesia, we’ll open a brand new centre in Jakarta by year-end, whereas in India we proceed to broaden our current facility. Our ambition is for this website, to surpass our European hub and turn out to be our largest one throughout the subsequent decade.

Premium Magnificence Information – The place does Eurofragance stand when it comes to turnover?

Laurent Mercier – We closed 2024 with EUR 180 million in income, up from EUR 100 million simply two and a half years earlier, marking three consecutive years of progress above 20%.

Nice fragrances stay our core enterprise. This section accounts for round 75% of our turnover, in contrast with 25% for the House and Private Care segments. This ratio is secure, with all three segments experiencing vital progress.

All our markets contributed to this progress. In 2024, the corporate’s total progress of round 27% was shared throughout all areas.

We pay shut consideration to what we name ‘enterprise vitality’, i.e. the flexibility to generate new income, both with new prospects or with new initiatives for current prospects.

Premium Magnificence Information – What strengths do you depend on?

Laurent Mercier – Our mannequin relies at first on folks: we practice our expertise regionally whereas immersing them in our company tradition. Secondly, we have now constructed a real model self-discipline, with world requirements and a robust rebranding that ensures consistency and readability throughout all our artistic centres. Lastly, service – pace, agility, reliability – is our obsession. This extends to regulatory compliance, with a compliance workforce that exceeds business practices.

Joan Pere Jiménez – Service is, above all, about agility—the flexibility to adapt rapidly in a always evolving market. It rests on three pillars: deep insights into buyer expectations and native dynamics; responsiveness with the capability to develop swiftly and successfully; and uncompromising high quality. By listening, anticipating developments, and delivering the suitable perfume profiles on the proper time, we strike a steadiness of proximity, rigor, and operational excellence that earns and sustains our prospects’ belief.

Premium Magnificence Information – And when it comes to merchandise and applied sciences?

Laurent Mercier – We now have developed a extremely focused strategy to applied sciences utilized to each superb perfumery and extra useful functions. For instance, we’re engaged on malodor counteraction points with our devoted EuroPure know-how platform, a key problem in residence and physique care. We’re additionally exploring extra emotional dimensions with options centered on temper enhancement, i.e. the emotional impression of perfume.

So far as innovation is anxious, we have now launched three patented captive elements in recent times, whereas we had none earlier than. L’Âme du Bois, an unique upcycled olfactive molecule designed to open new artistic avenues for perfumers; Verdenix, a cross-functional ingredient devoted to neutralising disagreeable odours and derived from the revalorisation of manufacturing waste from one other ingredient; and Euphorion, an artificial ingredient that acts specifically on emotional notion. A fourth captive ingredient is deliberate for the tip of 2025, with a launch anticipated at Beautyworld Center East. And naturally, our elements are developed with an ecological and moral profile in thoughts.

Joan Pere Jiménez – R&D, know-how platforms and the creation of latest captive elements are a significant focus of funding.

Premium Magnificence Information – How are you experiencing this transition?

Laurent Mercier – Now’s the suitable time at hand over the baton. The corporate is robust, rising, and prepared for a brand new chapter. My departure was deliberate three years in the past, giving us time to make sure a seamless succession with Joan Pere, a long-standing colleague. I’ll stay with the group as a Board member, specializing in innovation and elements—areas particularly near my coronary heart.

Joan Pere Jiménez – The transition is unfolding easily, with out disruption. My precedence is to hold ahead the present technique whereas safeguarding what defines Eurofragance’s DNA: a household enterprise powered by ardour, efficiency, and a dedication to sustainable improvement.