This year, to celebrate its 170th anniversary, Grasse-based Payan Bertrand has treated itself to some very nice gifts. The family business specializing in the manufacture of natural aromatic raw materials and perfume compositions for the perfume and food industry has been awarded ISO 22000 certification for food safety.
It is also ahead of its forecast turnover for 2024 and has finally found land on which to build its production unit dedicated 100% to perfumes. “After almost twenty years of fruitless research”says, relieved, its general manager Vincent Proal who runs the company with his brother Eric, chairman of the board.
But looking back, the history of Payan Bertrand merges with that of Grasse and its perfume know-how.
It was 1854. Honoré Payan created the Payan perfumery, on Place de la Poissonnerie in Grasse, before selling it in 1886 to his son Antoine and his nephew Édouard Bertrand who continued to operate it in the Saint-Jean des Paroirs district, the current location, under the Payan & Bertrand brand. Twenty years later, in 1906, the company came under Swiss control before being bought out in 1922 by several shareholders. Among them Henri Proal, whose descendants Eric and Vincent – the third generation – still run the company today. But the succession is assured “with my niece”assure Vincent Proal.
Natural and export
Payan-Bertrand’s DNA? It’s natural, “We have never given in to the sirens of synthesis, which makes us one of the three dinosaurs in Grasse with Mane and Robertet but also internationally where we achieve 85% of our turnover of €24 million. It was our grandfather who, upon his arrival in the 1920s, opened the company to exports, emphasizes the general director. We are now present in around sixty countries and in 1987 created FFF, a sourcing subsidiary in Indonesia. where Grassoise works closely with local farmers, producers and processors. “We are very demanding on the sustainability and traceability of products from farm to fork or nose, he recalls. Moreover, we carried out our first sustainable development project there by participating in the economic reconstruction in the Band Aceh region devastated by the 2004 tsunami.”
Two divisions
In the 1970s, the family SME also took the turn towards food flavorings before diversifying the following decade into perfumed compositions that “we find them in cosmetics, hygiene products, household cleaning products… and which now represent 40% of our turnover”adds the leader.
Growth in the Compositions division which led to the construction of a dedicated production unit in Plan-de-Grasse “but we were too cramped”. Good news after almost two decades of fruitless research, “a plot of land a stone’s throw from the site became available last December. The building permit for a new, fully automated 3,200m2 factory will soon be submitted.” An investment of around €8M which “allows us to rationalize our activities and have two very distinct units: the historic site is only intended to be natural”underlines Vincent Proal.
Moreover, this had also been the subject of an expansion thanks to a new Local Urban Plan (PLU). “Operational since 2020, Paname, a new 1,000m2 building dedicated to natural ingredients, should ultimately become a center of excellence for natural ingredients.” It’s off to a good start since it has just been awarded the ISO 22000 label. [norme internationale sur le management de la sécurité des denrées alimentaires, ndlr], is satisfied with the manager who also plans to dismantle a workshop that has become too dilapidated. It will be devoted to alcoholic extractions.
The investment in these two production tools will allow the 110 employees of Payan Bertrand to “work in the best possible conditions” but also to develop activity in Grasse, which has been enjoying a comeback in recent years. “We see it with the big luxury houses like Vuitton, Lancôme, Chanel which are returning here, the geographical indication Absolue Pays de Grasse, the dynamic ecosystem supported by the mayor…”
So many indicators on which the SME intends to rely to accelerate its growth and reach €40 million in turnover within five years. While keeping an eye on export – “South America and Central Africa” – and by preparing the transmission to the fourth generation. “We are currently drafting a family charter and working on all governance issues.” to continue writing new fragrant pages of its history.
Landmarks
> 1854 Honoré Payan created a perfume company on Place de la Poissonnerie in Grasse, which he sold in 1886 to his son Antoine and his nephew Édouard Bertrand, who continued the business under the brand name Payan & Bertrand.
> 1906 The company was bought by a Swiss Théophile Mulethaler who kept the brand.
> 1922 The Proal family and other shareholders buy the company.
> 1935 Development of numerous natural products including the essence of Flouve Odorante.
> 1970 Payan Bertrand receives the Export Oscar, followed in 1978 by the Export Torch.
> 1987 Creation of the FFF subsidiary in Thailand.
> 2003 A new production site called S2, opens at 107, route du Plan in Grasse.
> 2005 Acquisition of General Aromatics in Saint-Cézaire.
> 2014 Payan Bertrand is certified as a Living Heritage Company (EPV).
> 2020 One of the founders of the Absolute Geographical Indication (GI) Pays de Grasse, the INPI.
> 2024 ISO 22000 certification.
