Unilever Invests £80M in UK Fragrance R&D Innovation Center

Unilever announced a £80 million investment to establish a state-of-the-art fragrance research and innovation facility in Port Sunlight, United Kingdom, aimed at strengthening its in-house fragrance capabilities. The proposed facility will feature a world-class fragrance research and development lab, a compounding unit, and evaluation suites dedicated to product testing, with an end-to-end digital infrastructure incorporating robotics and artificial intelligence for blending fragrance oils and accelerating innovation.

Unilever's Chief R&D Officer Richard Slater emphasized that the investment would enhance the company’s ability to bring cutting-edge fragrance insights and innovations to its product portfolio more swiftly, redefining how fragrances are created in collaboration with external partners. The facility also includes plans to recruit top-tier perfumers with cross-category expertise, signaling a strategic talent expansion to bolster Unilever’s innovation pipeline.

The UK government welcomed the investment, with Minister for Investment Baroness Poppy Gustafsson CBE highlighting it as a strong endorsement of the UK’s attractiveness as an R&D hub and a contributor to the country’s upcoming industrial strategy focused on digital and technological growth.

The initiative is expected to significantly boost the UK's thriving research and development sector, supporting long-term economic growth, creating skilled jobs, and elevating living standards. This move positions Unilever at the forefront of digital fragrance development while reinforcing the UK’s role as a global leader in innovation and sustainable business practices.

Source: Unilever