IFF accelerates innovation in Latin America with new enzyme facility and household care lab

Fragrances ingredient company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is expanding its Latin American footprint by opening an enzyme facility in Argentina and a laboratory in Brazil. The moves are aimed at elevating regional production and innovation capacities in Latin America, one of IFF’s fastest-growing markets.

In Argentina, the company is transforming its Arroyito site into its first full fermentation-based enzyme production hub in Latin America, while the lab opening at IFF’s Innovation Center in Brazil is focused on household care applications.

In combination, the advances aim to deepen IFF’s regional presence while improving efficiency, consistency, and locally informed solutions.

For its Argentina site transformation, IFF is tapping into its fermentation technology expertise. The company aims to produce high-performance enzymes through controlled biological processes, delivering reliable results and reduced environmental impact.

The enhancement enables the company to produce enzymes locally, from start to finish, rather than relying on final processing steps. IFF says this control allows the company to boost performance, quicken processing times, and enable flexibility toward customer needs.

“By bringing world‑class fermentation and application capabilities to Latin America, we are accelerating innovation for our customers and translating that into better food, more effective cleaning solutions, and everyday products that improve quality of life for millions of consumers across the region,” says Letícia Gonçalves, president of IFF Health & Biosciences.

The company’s new household care application lab in Brazil is aimed at fine-tuning customers’ experience under regional conditions and supports laundry and dishwashing applications.

“Latin America is a dynamic growth market for bioscience‑enabled solutions,” says Deia Vilela, VP of Latin America for IFF Health & Biosciences. “What’s most exciting is how this momentum is being shaped through deeper partnerships with customers and teams across the region, creating a strong foundation for sustained innovation and shared growth in the years ahead.”

The company’s developments come as Brazil’s beauty market becomes a global hotspot. Earlier this week, L Catterton combined Bel Cosméticos and Mundo do Cabeleireiro, creating the largest multi-brand specialty beauty retail platform in Brazil. The deal brought together two existing beauty retailers to leverage both sets of expertise and strengthen the LVMH-backed equity firm’s position as a regional player in cosmetics.