Premium Beauty News - What have been your priorities during your eight years as CEO of Eurofragance?
Laurent Mercier - When I took over the management of Eurofragance in 2018, the company had a turnover of EUR 50 million, a single production site in Spain, limited subsidiaries, but a large export business, particularly to the Middle East. The challenge was to structure that growth. We opted for a measured expansion, concentrating on selected key markets. It was a ‘more with less’ strategy: generating more business with fewer dispersed initiatives. We also made strategic choices, such as scaling back in some regions to reinforce our impact where we were already established.
Premium Beauty News - How did you structure the group?
Laurent Mercier - In 2018, we made a real change by adopting a matrix management model. The aim was to give more autonomy to the regions, while maintaining overall consistency. Our design centres in Barcelona, Mexico, Singapore, Mumbai and soon Jakarta are at the heart of this system. Each one manages its market using the same tools and shared methods and resources. This approach enables us to address local needs while leveraging a global structure. The outcome is greater efficiency, faster responsiveness, and, above all, sustainable growth with agility.
Premium Beauty News - What are Eurofragance’s key markets today?
Laurent Mercier - Our two historic markets, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, remain central. We have strengthened our presence there because these markets have grown considerably. In Latin America, we are focusing on Mexico, where we have a subsidiary and a creation centre. In Europe, our two major markets are Spain, our country of origin, and Turkey.
In Asia, our priority is Indonesia, a strategic country where we will strengthen our presence, notably with a future creation centre. Vietnam is also a fast-growing market for us. As is India, of course, where we opened a subsidiary and a creative centre last year, and which is becoming one of our pillars. We are preparing a major industrial project near Mumbai for 2026.
Premium Beauty News - Joan Pere Jiménez, what is your strategic vision for the future?
Joan Pere Jiménez - I take on the leadership of Eurofragance after eleven years with the company — first in operations, then in the field across key regions from the Middle East to Asia. For the past two years, as Chief Market Officer, I have been responsible for overseeing our business and subsidiaries.
This transition is in line with the strategic plan we launched six years ago, with two main pillars: targeted geographical expansion and digital transformation. The goal is to stay deeply engaged in the field, working closely with our subsidiaries to fully grasp the particular dynamics of each region and to support our customers by considering their markets, consumers, and competitors.
In parallel, we are driving a major technological transformation to support growth, with investments in IT systems, process digitalisation, CRM tools, and AI. This structural project, already underway with a more than EUR 10 million budget, aims to build interconnected, high-performance systems across all markets — enhancing both the agility and the quality of our service.
Premium Beauty News - How is Eurofragance expanding globally?
Laurent Mercier - We currently have three production sites. The main one is in Spain, our historic birthplace, which supplies Europe, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. It is our flagship site, which was completely modernised last year following a EUR 10 million investment. We also have a site in Mexico, which is smaller but strategic for Latin America, an area where we plan to strengthen our capabilities. And another in Singapore, which allows us to effectively serve Southeast Asia. In addition, we have two agreements with partners in China and India to produce locally when it makes sense.
We have embarked on a major project in India, scheduled for early 2026. Our goal was to establish a second large sourcing and manufacturing site to complement our main facility in Spain, while India’s proximity to Dubai also opens the door to new opportunities.
Joan Pere Jiménez - India and Indonesia, two huge and rapidly growing markets, are clear priorities for us. Strengthening our presence there demands deep consumer insights and significant investments. In Indonesia, we will open a new centre in Jakarta by year-end, while in India we continue to expand our existing facility. Our ambition is for this site, to surpass our European hub and become our largest one within the next decade.
Premium Beauty News - Where does Eurofragance stand in terms of turnover?
Laurent Mercier - We closed 2024 with EUR 180 million in revenue, up from EUR 100 million just two and a half years earlier, marking three consecutive years of growth above 20%.
Fine fragrances remain our core business. This segment accounts for around 75% of our turnover, compared with 25% for the Home and Personal Care segments. This ratio is stable, with all three segments experiencing significant growth.
All our markets contributed to this growth. In 2024, the company’s overall growth of around 27% was shared across all regions.
We pay close attention to what we call ‘business vitality’, i.e. the ability to generate new revenue, either with new customers or with new projects for existing customers.
Premium Beauty News - What strengths do you rely on?
Laurent Mercier - Our model is based first and foremost on people: we train our talent locally while immersing them in our corporate culture. Secondly, we have built a true brand discipline, with global standards and a strong rebranding that ensures consistency and clarity across all our creative centres. Finally, service – speed, agility, reliability – is our obsession. This extends to regulatory compliance, with a compliance team that exceeds industry practices.
Joan Pere Jiménez - Service is, above all, about agility—the ability to adapt quickly in a constantly evolving market. It rests on three pillars: deep insights into customer expectations and local dynamics; responsiveness with the capacity to develop swiftly and effectively; and uncompromising quality. By listening, anticipating trends, and delivering the right fragrance profiles at the right time, we strike a balance of proximity, rigor, and operational excellence that earns and sustains our customers’ trust.
Premium Beauty News - And in terms of products and technologies?
Laurent Mercier - We have developed a highly targeted approach to technologies applied to both fine perfumery and more functional applications. For example, we are working on malodor counteraction issues with our dedicated EuroPure technology platform, a key challenge in home and body care. We are also exploring more emotional dimensions with solutions focused on mood enhancement, i.e. the emotional impact of fragrance.
As far as innovation is concerned, we have launched three patented captive ingredients in recent years, whereas we had none before. L’Âme du Bois, an original upcycled olfactive molecule designed to open new creative avenues for perfumers; Verdenix, a cross-functional ingredient dedicated to neutralising unpleasant odours and derived from the revalorisation of production waste from another ingredient; and Euphorion, a synthetic ingredient that acts in particular on emotional perception. A fourth captive ingredient is planned for the end of 2025, with a launch expected at Beautyworld Middle East. And of course, our ingredients are developed with an ecological and ethical profile in mind.
Joan Pere Jiménez - R&D, technology platforms and the creation of new captive ingredients are a major focus of investment.
Premium Beauty News - How are you experiencing this transition?
Laurent Mercier - Now is the right time to hand over the baton. The company is strong, growing, and ready for a new chapter. My departure was planned three years ago, giving us time to ensure a seamless succession with Joan Pere, a long-standing colleague. I will remain with the group as a Board member, focusing on innovation and ingredients—areas especially close to my heart.
Joan Pere Jiménez - The transition is unfolding smoothly, without disruption. My priority is to carry forward the existing strategy while safeguarding what defines Eurofragance’s DNA: a family business powered by passion, performance, and a commitment to sustainable development.
