Growth and agility underpins activity in Africa

Iberchem has announced that it will expand its presence in the South African market by joining Iberchem, Scentium and Versachem under a new name: Iberchem South Africa. Maryke Foulds looks at what this venture will bring to the industry.

The announcement comes two years after the group acquired 70% of Versachem, a company specialising in food colourants and seasonings. The group recently bought the remaining 30%, thereby fully integrating Versachem’s activity into the group’s portfolio. All three divisions will be temporarily accommodated in Versachem’s current offices in Pretoria until a new location is found.

Scentium creates bespoke flavours for beverages as well as for sweet and savoury products while Versachem specialises in the production of food seasonings, dustings and colourants. With the expertise of all three combined, the group is well-positioned to service not only the local but also the export market, creating work opportunities and earning foreign currency for South Africa.

Iberchem South Africa is managed by Quentin Questiaux, who joined the company in May this year. Questiaux is well-known in the African market, with a proven track record in the flavour and fragrance industry. In the coming months, Iberchem South Africa will gradually welcome new members to Iberchem and Scentium. “We are looking to expand our equipment to be even more autonomous and agile with shorter delivery times of projects. Our biggest strength would be the laboratory that was developed to perfectly respond to the needs of our local clients,” he enthuses.

A key focus for the company this year is the expansion of its sensory library. It is an ongoing process as taste trends evolve and change. “We rely on thousands of fragrance and flavour references, all made available to our clients. If what we have is not exactly what they’re looking for, our teams of specialists are at their disposal to fine-tune the selected reference until we find the exact profile they were looking for. In my opinion, having an extensive library is essential, but the technical support that goes with it is even more important.”

One of the biggest trends and areas of growth Questiaux predicts is that of reduced sugar products with a clean label – especially in beverages. “The sugar backlash continues to put pressure on the food and beverage market to reformulate with low and no-sugar variants and meet consumer health demands without compromising on taste. This situation is expected to keep going and even more so as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Botanical ingredients like herbs and spices are innovations but are also highlighted for their health qualities, primarily less sugar and vitamin and fibre additions. This can help brands to capitalise on growing consumer interest in natural and better-for-you products,” he notes.

The experience-seeking consumer is looking for unique and quirky flavours, such as banana & chocolate or coffee & caramel. These flavours take you into a sensory journey that can intrigue consumers in-store and encourage impulse purchase.“Substitute products must be equally qualified in taste to not lose the consumer’s attention. Working in artificial sweeteners or natural flavours is a challenge for the sector.”

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“Every year, the Iberchem Group welcomes dozens of interns into its laboratories, allowing them to complement the academic training they have received in class. For some of them, their experience evolves into a full-time job. Year after year, the Iberchem Group exceeds the minimum percentage of employees with disabilities required by law. We believe that every job has its learning process and that everyone deserves to be given the same chance” - Iberchem South Africa MD Quentin Questiaux

Concerning growth on the African continent, he is optimistic. “Iberchem South Africa is the result of substantial investments that fall into an even larger expansion plan by the Iberchem Group on the African continent. Overall, it confirms the tremendous growth potential we see in the market. We wish to support and be part of this growth, offering speed to development, production, supply, affordability, and the ability to supply both small and large volumes to service a broad spectrum of customers. I am confident that this news is only the beginning and that shortly we will be making more announcements,” he concludes. •