The South Region brings together all the conditions needed to support the natural products industry: exceptional Mediterranean biodiversity, centuries-old expertise—including the Grasse perfume-making tradition, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage—and nearly 390 specialized SMEs and mid-sized companies. The sector is structured around four key markets: fragrances and flavors, cosmetics, food products, and health ingredients and dietary supplements.
For investors, industrial companies, and start-ups, the South Region provides access to high-quality plant-based raw materials, specialized R&D centers, and a dedicated competitiveness cluster, Innov’Alliance. risingSUD supports companies with their establishment and development projects within this sector.
At a glance
Why is the South of France an ideal location for the naturalness industry?
The region combines industrial know-how, applied research and natural resources.
Key figures
Metropolitan and rural strengths: The territory offers a skilled workforce with centres of excellence ranging from the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis to the specialised hubs of Grasse, Avignon and Manosque.
A leader in organic farming: France's leading region in terms of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming.
An attractive living environment: The territory combines urban dynamism with preserved natural spaces, a key asset for attracting and retaining talent.
How does the territory ensure connectivity and expertise?
The South of France benefits from logistics infrastructure that facilitates raw material sourcing and finished product distribution.
A structuring logistics network
Three regional airports (Marseille-Provence, Nice Côte d'Azur, Toulon-Hyères), the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille-Fos and the TGV high-speed rail network ensure connectivity with European and Mediterranean markets.
Industrial sites often benefit from direct motorway access (A7, A51, A55) and, in some cases, on-site rail connections (e.g. Saint-Auban).
Innovation at the heart of Innov'Alliance cluster
Innov'Alliance, a competitiveness cluster based in Grasse, brings together over 400 members across four industrial sectors: Food, Cosmetics, Health Ingredients & Dietary Supplements, Fragrances & Flavours. The cluster supports collaborative R&D projects and connects manufacturers with laboratories.
What are the naturalness sectors of excellence in the South of France?
The regional naturalness industry covers four markets, corresponding to the Innov'Alliance cluster sectors.
Fragrances & Flavours
Grasse, whose perfume-related skills have been inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2018, is at the heart of France's fragrance and flavour industry. Several international groups have their headquarters or production facilities there: Givaudan (Campus 52), Mane (headquartered in Le Bar-sur-Loup), Robertet (headquartered in Grasse), Firmenich-DSM, as well as historic houses such as Payan Bertrand.
The sector relies on the cultivation of perfume plants (May rose, jasmine, lavender) and essential oil distillation. Sourcing practices are evolving towards more responsible and sustainable approaches.
Cosmetics
The territory hosts laboratories and brands positioned in natural and responsible cosmetics. The Grasse-Sophia Antipolis corridor concentrates formulation and subcontracting laboratories, while Aroma-Zone has established its production and logistics sites in the region (Cavaillon, Cabrières-d'Avignon). The COSMED association, based in Marseille, represents SMEs in the cosmetics sector at a national level.
Food
The South of France leverages its agricultural production (almonds, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, herbs of Provence) through quality-oriented processing industries. France's leading region in organic farmland, it operates in sustainable food markets. Agroparc in Avignon and the CTCPA support innovation in food processing.
Health ingredients & dietary supplements
The regional nutraceutical industry is backed by research in phytochemistry and life sciences. Arkopharma (Carros, Alpes-Maritimes) and Laboratoires Inéldea (Sophia Antipolis) specialise in extracting plant-based ingredients and formulating dietary supplements. The Institut de Chimie de Nice (ICN) supports the development of new natural ingredients.
Where to set up your business? Suitable business parks
The territory offers a range of commercial property suited to every project profile, from start-ups to industrial groups.
| Business park | Specialisation | Key asset |
|---|---|---|
| ZAE Cassine (Peyruis) | Agri-food, Cosmetics | Plots up to 7.5 ha, immediately available, AFR and ZRR zoning. |
| Agroparc (Avignon) | Food, Cosmetics, R&D | 6 research centres (INRAE, CTCPA), 11 training organisations. |
Explore all available business sites
risingSUD expertise: your partner for setting up in the region
risingSUD supports investors at every stage of their establishment in the South of France: property, funding, innovation networks and recruitment.
- Identifying suitable land and premises (business parks, incubators, industrial sites)
- Connecting with industry stakeholders (Innov'Alliance, COSMED, laboratories, R&D centres)
- Accessing funding schemes (regional grants, research tax credits, European programmes)
- Project structuring and recruitment support
3 questions to our Naturalness sector expert
Is naturalness a growing market for companies setting up in the South of France?
Global demand for natural ingredients, clean cosmetics and dietary supplements continues to grow. The South of France has structural advantages in these segments: UNESCO recognition of Grasse for perfumery, a network of aromatic and medicinal plant producers, and specialised research centres such as CRIEPPAM and the ICN in Nice. For a company working on the valorisation of natural products, this is an ecosystem that is hard to replicate elsewhere.
What advice would you give to a project developer in natural cosmetics?
Don't limit yourself to Grasse. The Grasse-Sophia corridor is the historic heart of perfumery, but areas such as Agroparc in Avignon (agri-food, nutraceuticals), Manosque (perfume plants) or NaturaParc in Entraigues-sur-la-Sorgue also offer suitable land and synergies with local industries. The key is to connect early with Innov'Alliance and COSMED, which structure the ecosystem and facilitate meetings between project developers and established players.
What are the most common challenges you encounter with naturalness project developers?
Underestimating regulatory constraints. In both cosmetics and agri-food, European standards are strict and time-to-market can be long. We systematically refer project developers to technical centres such as the CTCPA in Avignon or COSMED's regulatory services, so they can factor in these constraints from the start of their project.
Industry leaders trust us:
AGAPÉ, AGROÉNOVAE, AGROSEMENS, ANTOFENOL, ARKOPHARMA, AROMA-ZONE, GAZIGNAIRE, GIVAUDAN, KOPPERT, LABORATOIRE ACANTHIS, LABORATOIRES INÉLDEA, LE ROY RENÉ, LES BIOLONISTES, L'OCCITANE EN PROVENCE, MANE, NATUREX, PAYAN BERTRAND, ROBERTET, SANOFLORE
Success Stories
Success Stories
FAQ: Everything you need to know about investing in naturalness in the South of France
Why is the South of France well suited for the naturalness industry?
The territory combines Mediterranean biodiversity ideal for growing aromatic and perfume plants, historic expertise in perfumery and cosmetics (Grasse, UNESCO heritage), leadership in organic farming and a dedicated competitiveness cluster (Innov'Alliance). The ecosystem also includes R&D centres, specialised schools and a strong SME/mid-cap base.
What funding is available for business set-up?
The South of France region and its metropolitan areas offer financial support schemes, business property grants and innovation funding through competitiveness clusters, incubators and European programmes. risingSUD assists with identifying and securing these financing packages.
Which locations are best suited for naturalness companies?
The territory offers locations tailored to every profile: the Grasse area for fragrances and flavours, Agroparc in Avignon for food and cosmetics R&D, NaturaParc in the Greater Avignon area for naturalness companies, Sophia Antipolis for R&D and biotechnology, and the Manosque and Haute-Provence areas for aromatic plant cultivation. risingSUD identifies the right site for each project.
Sources and references
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