Activities

BLENDING

  • Aromatic product manufacturing : a mixture of oleoresins or other extracts with suitable carriers

DISTILLATION

  • Distillate / alcoholate (= colorless products): Soaking of a natural raw material in alcoholic solution, then distillating, the solvent (ethyl alcohol) is not eliminated.

EXTRACTION

  • Concrete Manufacturing: Extraction by volatile solvent of a fresh raw plant material, then vacuum concentration
  • Resinoids Manufacturing: Extraction by volatile solvent of a dry plant material, then vacuum concentration
  • Absolute Manufacturing: Extraction by washing, with ethyl alcohol, of a concrete or a resinoid, filtration in order to remove “waxes”, then distillation to remove ethanol.
  • Oleoresins Manufacturing: Extraction by volatile solvent (ethyl alcohol) of a “spice” raw material, then evaporation of the solvent and concentration

STEAM DISTILLATION

  • Essential oils : Steam distillation of a fresh or dry raw plant material (flowers, leaves, twigs, calyxes, etc.)
  • hydrolates and floral waters : Steam distillation of a fresh or dry raw plant material flowers, leaves, twigs, calyxes, etc.)
  • Natural flavored water manufacturing: Steam distillation of a primary extract (essential oil, absolute).
  • Flavored water manufacturing: Steam distillation of a flavoured substance.

MACeRATION

  • Infusions: Maceration in an alcoholic solution of a raw material (flowers, pods, wood, seeds, roots, beans, etc.) then filtration.

RECTIFICATION

  • Concentrated essential oil manufacturing: Rectification and deterpenation of an essential oil.

Raw materials

CITRUS

In the south of Italy, we are working with identified partners for our citrus fruit supplies such as Lemon, Orange or Bergamot. The essential oils, resulting from the cold expression of zest, are entirely traced through producer associations in Calabria and Sicily, in the Etna valley known for its unique terroir, to the processing site. The sector values 100% of the tree products and co-products by opening various outlets in Food, Cosmetics or bioenergy.

BLACKCURRANT BUDS

In Côte d´Or, it is during winter that the blackcurrant buds are harvested, where frost guarantees the quality and stability of the harvest. The frozen leaf buds are transported to our facilities, respecting the cold chain, where they are first crushed before being extracted with a volatile solvent to produce a concrete. The first step before obtaining the absolute with a scent that is both fruity and animal.

CEpe

Located in the heart of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria, our Cep (Boletus Edulis) sector is the result of wild and responsible harvesting. Our local partner ensures traceability in Boletus Edulis’ harvesting and drying from June to November on its processing site. The sector helps support the local economy by creating additional income for seasonal pickers. Once the drying step is completed, the Cep mushrooms are transformed into oleoresin in our extraction workshops.

CYPRESS PROVENCE

In the Alpes Maritimes (in the south of France) Provence Cypress is one of the endemic species planted around public areas. It is mainly used as a plant barrier to stop the wind and shelter cities. However, during its blooming period, this type of tree can also cause many allergies. We are thus working with “ESAT La Bastide de Châteauneuf” in Grasse to gather the sizes of the Cypress from Provence during the seasonal cutting between October and March to enhance this organic waste in the aromatic industry.

FENUGREEK

In Tunisia, Fenugreek is a native plant from the north of the country. It has been introduced in several cultivation plots as a plant cover to preseve soil and biodiversity. Thus, 100% of Fenugreek cultures are certified Organic and extracted with solvent to obtain an absolute and concrete rich in its know-how.

ORANGE BLOSSOM

The orange blossom harvest has started. We have been working for nearly 10 years with partners in Egypt and Tunisia to support the local orange blossom sectors. The latter is transformed by hydro-distillation into Neroli and Floral Water. In Egypt, Bigaradiers are also certified Organic. We can thus offer you a range of conventional and organic orange blossom water.

FINE LAVENDER

In Bulgaria, our local partner cultivates fine lavender angustifolia guaranteeing full traceability from the production of the plant material to the distillation to create an Essential Oil that is both sweet and floral. Harvesting is carried out between July and August. Our fine lavender sector is fully traced, organic and integrated into a sustainable development program with our local partner.

MIMOSA

Mimosa is one of our historical raw materials. Our sector in Grasse is based on wild mimosa harvesting on our own lands. Mimosa cutting has started, and the flowers have blossomed, ready for extraction at our processing site. Mimosa will give a completely traced, precious and local absolute.

PETITGRAIN

In the south of France, orange blossom has historically been cultivated in the the municipalities of Vallauris, Golfe-Juan and Bar-sur-Loup. Gazignaire has been supporting the Nerolium agricultural cooperative for several years in stimulating the sector and developing products and by-products such as Bigaradier pruning, also called Petitgrain. After the flower is harvested, the trees are pruned and the kindling is collected in order to be processed on our production site in Pégomas with a steam distillation process. Petitgrain Essential Oil is therefore 100% local from the area of Grasse.

DAMASCENA ROSE

For more than 10 years, we have been working with a local partner, in full transparency, supporting and developing the Rose damascena sector in Bulgaria in the Kazanlak region. Nearly 100 seasonal pickers meet each year in the Rose Valley to start harvesting for 3 weeks between late May and early June. More than 20 hectares of organic roses are cultivated by our partner. The freshly opened Damascena Roses are then processed at the distillation site near the production plots to create organic damascena rose floral water.

TONKA

Our Tonka beans originate from South America and are harvested from May to September. The beans’ drying step allows a thin layer of frosted coumarin crystals to appear on the surface of the bean. This stage of preparation for the beans guarantees quality and allows the bean to gain in olfactory and aromatic power.
Gazignaire extracts Tonka beans in its workshops to obtain the precious absolutes, concretes and oleoresins.
Our tonka bean extracts and oleoresins blend perfectly with vanilla extracts that, on another note, we produce as specialty products.

VIOLET

With the first cold days, Violet blooming, Viola odorata, arrives in the town of Tourrettes-sur-Loup.
So traditionally it is its leaves that are extracted by the aromatic industry to produce concrete and absolute; yet it is these small, discreet flowers, 1 to 2 cm in diameter, that are a current interest to our R&D teams who are studying their properties. It is a great collaboration with local partner farmers in order to work, maintain and develop the sectors that make up the richness of our heritage.