Symrise Supports Madagascar Cyclone Victims

29 Mar 2017 --- Recently, cyclone Enawo wreaked havoc in Madagascar, with the huge losses occurring in the northern region of Sava. Homes and the country’s infrastructure have been especially hard hit by the consequences. Many homes of local Symrise employees were destroyed and local vanilla farmers and villages were severely impacted. Production facilities and warehouses are intact. Symrise is giving financial as well as on site support for rebuilding efforts in the region.

Every year, Madagascar is ravaged by violent storms. In the wet season from November to April, monsoon rains from the northwest encounter strong winds and high temperatures from the southeast, resulting in severe storms. The squalls reach record speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour. The category 4 cyclone Enawo has left a trail of environmental destruction and ruined infrastructure in its wake. According to reports of civil protection services, over 240,000 people have been displaced or suffered substantial damage as a result. 

Based on proprietary sources, the families of the vanilla farmers that Symrise works with in the region have suffered property damage. As far as is currently known, all Symrise employees and members of the cooperating families are safe and sound. Symrise’s production facilities are also unscathed. All inventories are secure and completely intact. Although vanilla and rice harvest will be impacted by the cyclone, Symrise can fall back on extensive stock levels and absorb potential crop losses thanks to its close cooperation with the vanilla growers in the region and large-scale backward integration. 

Symrise will intensify its involvement within its partnerships in Madagascar and contribute financial and on-site support toward the rebuilding of homes, schools, infrastructure and other facilities in the region. “Over 200 Symrise employee families and their homes were extensively affected by ENAWO,” says Heinrich Schaper, Global President Flavor at Symrise 

“Our first and foremost priority in the immediate aftermath of the storm was to confirm the health and ongoing safety of our employees and local network partners. As soon as was practically possible our teams reached out to the approximately 7,000 farmers whom we work with, to identify where we could assist them and their families. Our employees will do everything in their power to help and actively support reconstruction efforts at a local level. We will continue to support the sector efforts to recover and will maintain our focus on the long term sustainability of the vanilla growing communities in Madagascar.”