Discover the scent masters who turn laundry into fragrance
Symrise’s Silent Scent Academy
At the heart of Germany’s fragrance empire, Symrise’s private perfumery academy trains the nation’s future noses. The journey begins each day with blind sniff tests, a ritual compared to tuning a melody before it plays. The trainees, a mix of locals and internationals, learn to decode the aromas that accompany everyday items from toothpaste to barbecue chips.
From Piano Keys to Petri Dish Odors
- Alicia De Benito Cassado – 32, ex‑pianist from Spain – turned her passion for music into scent craftsmanship after crafting teen perfumes to match her poetic lyrics.
- Shangyun Lyu – 31, eyes on Chinese markets – emphasizes the importance of dissecting odors into chemical parts, a skill honed from youthful jasmine recognition to complex blends.
- Attiya Setai – 27, South Africa – points out the tightening European regulation, notably the banning of Lilial, which once afforded floral sweetness.
Olfactory Apprenticeships
The academy’s three‑year curriculum demands mastery of 500 distinct scents. The finest noses can sniff out over 1,000 odors while blindfolded. Students weigh milligram‑grade ingredients, mix, sniff, and repeat, often replicating existing aromas to understand their structure before inventing fresh notes.
Market Variability and Cost Constraints
- Shangyun illustrates how a fragrance favored in China’s youthful shampoo line could falter in Europe’s market.
- Symrise harnesses wood resin, a paper‑industry by‑product, to extract aromatic compounds, marrying economic sense with environmental stewardship.
Artificial Intelligence: A Partner, Not a Replacement
AI models predict promising fragrance formulas, yet the human nose remains the decisive judge. Marc vom Ende, 56, master perfumer and school head, affirms that AI supports, but the final verdict rests on olfactory perception.
Symrise’s workforce of 13,000 houses 80 industry perfumers, who serve 30,000 products to clients ranging from confectionery to suncream makers. Its rivals include DSM‑Firmenich and Givaudan.
