What Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella does

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is an 800+ year-old Florentine luxury fragrance, skincare, and home products house, founded in 1221 by twelve Dominican friars as the Orto dei Semplici botanical garden serving the community's infirmary, and operating as a public pharmacy since 15 October 1612. The business produces luxury Eau de Parfum and Eau de Cologne fragrances, skincare lines built on hyaluronic acid and Rosa damascena distillate, body and bath products, hand-finished home fragrances including Florentine terracotta vessels, and specialty ranges for oral hygiene, pets, and children. Core technology rests on centuries-old botanical formulations and speziale preparation methods, with documented heritage recipes including the 1533 Acqua della Regina composed for Caterina de' Medici, Acqua di Rose first recorded in 1381, and Pot Pourri in continuous production for over 300 years.

The company distributes through a three-channel model: a direct e-commerce platform with regional sites for the EU, UK, US/Canada, and Japan and complimentary global shipping above €100; 20+ owned boutiques across Florence, London, Paris, Milan, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Osaka, and Seoul; and premium department store partnerships at Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, Rinascente, Bloomingdales, Isetan, and Shinsegae across 14+ countries. Pricing is positioned at the premium luxury tier, with Eau de Parfum 100ml at €245 and ceramic home vessels up to €500, alongside entry-level body and bath products from €14. Since the 2021 acquisition by Italian investment holding company Italmobiliare S.p.A., the S.p.A. (share capital €2,100,000) has been operated as a private portfolio company, launching the Firenze 1221 Eau de Cologne collection in 2021 and the I Giardini Medicei Eau de Parfum collection in 2022, while formalizing commitments under the UN Global Compact and Science Based Targets initiative.

Name

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

Legal name

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella S.p.A.

Website

https://eu.smnovella.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a 800+ year-old Florentine luxury fragrance, skincare, and home products house, founded in 1221 by Dominican friars, selling premium botanical formulations through owned boutiques, department store partnerships in 14+ countries, and direct e-commerce, since 2021 owned by Italmobiliare S.p.A.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Fragrances and Skincare

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex) (CRABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Natural & Clean Fragrance (CRABADAG)

Keywords

• Luxury fragrances
• Artisan skincare
• Botanical perfumery
• Heritage pharmacy products
• Natural body care

Headquarters

HQ city

Florence

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fragrance Sales: Luxury Eau de Parfum and Eau de Cologne fragrances sold through direct retail, e-commerce, and department store partnerships globally. Includes I Giardini Medicei collection, Firenze 1221 Edition, and classic formulations.
2. Skincare Products: Luxury skincare lines including Idralia (hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts) and Acqua di Rose (Rosa damascena). Products include creams, serums, micellar water, and toning preparations.
3. Body and Bath Products: Solid soaps, liquid soaps, bath gels, body lotions, dermo-protective oils, and hair care products in signature fragrances. Includes sustainable refill options.
4. Home Fragrances: Scented wax tablets, pot pourri, diffusers, candles, Carta d'Armenia, and ceramic terracotta vessels. Products crafted in Florentine tradition with hand-finished elements.
5. Oral Hygiene and Specialty Products: Historical specialty products including iris toothpaste, dental elixir, mouthwash, myrrh tincture, and products for infants and pets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella manufactures and sells luxury fragrances, skincare, body and bath products, oral hygiene items, and home fragrances rooted in botanical pharmaceutical traditions originating with Dominican friars in 1221. The assortment spans Eau de Parfum and Eau de Cologne collections (I Giardini Medicei, Firenze 1221 Edition, Acqua della Regina, Melograno, Tabacco Toscano, Pot Pourri, Angeli di Firenze, Fresia), skincare lines (Idralia with hyaluronic acid; Acqua di Rose line with Rosa damascena), body care, oral hygiene, and home fragrances. Products are sold globally through owned e-commerce, owned boutiques in luxury districts, and premium department-store partnerships.

Product overview

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a historic Florentine pharmacy and fragrance house founded in 1221, offering luxury perfumes, skincare, body care, and home fragrance products. The product portfolio centers on two main fragrance collections: I Giardini Medicei (8 Eau de Parfum compositions) and the Firenze 1221 Edition (8 Eau de Cologne compositions launched in 2021 for the 800th anniversary). Iconic heritage products include Acqua della Regina (composed in 1533 for Caterina de' Medici), Acqua di Rose (first documented 1381), Melograno (launched 1965), Pot Pourri (300+ years in production), and Angeli di Firenze (2006). The skincare offering comprises two anchored lines: Idralia (hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts) and Acqua di Rose (Rosa damascena distillate). Body and hair products include solid soaps, liquid soaps, bath gels, body creams, and hair care. Home fragrances encompass scented wax tablets, pot pourri, diffusers, candles, and terracotta/ceramic vessels. Specialty lines serve oral hygiene, pets, and children. The company operates from Via della Scala 16, Florence, under Italmobiliare ownership since 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I Giardini Medicei: An Eau de Parfum collection of eight compositions drawn from the botanical archive of the Medici gardens, structured around pyramid of opening, heart and base notes.
• Firenze 1221
• Acqua di Rose Line
• Idralia Line

Products and services

• I Giardini Medicei Collection

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• United Nations Global CompactminorOthersOfficina joined the UN Global Compact, confirming commitment to promoting sustainable global economy respectful of human and labor rights, safeguarding environment, and business integrity. Supports Ten Fundamental Principles and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)minorOthersItalmobiliare (parent company) committed to SBTi. Officina benefits from parent's validated 2030 GHG emissions reduction targets and formally established Net-Zero target for 2050.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Penhaligon's: British heritage perfumery founded in 1870, owned by Puig. Comparable as a heritage-led niche fragrance house with a Royal Warrant, multi-category portfolio, owned boutiques in global luxury cities, and department store distribution.
• Roger & Gallet: French heritage perfume and toiletries house founded in 1862, owned by Impala. Closely comparable as a 19th-century French pharmacy-perfumery with documented historical recipes, multi-category portfolio (fragrance, soap, body), and global department store distribution.
• Acqua di Parma: Italian luxury fragrance and personal care house founded in 1916, owned by LVMH. Closest comparable to Santa Maria Novella: Italian heritage provenance, premium pricing, multi-category portfolio (fragrance, skincare, body, home), and global boutique and department store presence.
• Diptyque: French luxury fragrance and home brand founded in 1961, owned by Manzanita Capital. Comparable in multi-category approach (fragrance, body, home candles/diffusers), premium pricing, and own-boutique-plus-department-store distribution model.
• Floris London: British heritage perfumery founded in 1730, holding Royal Warrants. Direct comparator as the world's oldest independent perfumer with documented historical recipes, premium positioning, and selective global retail.

Broad incumbents

• L'Occitane en Provence: French natural beauty group founded in 1976 with global retail presence. Comparable in botanical/heritage positioning, premium pricing, and global boutique-and-department-store distribution, though with broader mass-tige reach.
• Aesop: Australian luxury natural beauty brand owned by L'Oréal. Comparable in premium botanical positioning, minimalist signature aesthetic, and select own-boutique distribution in luxury destinations, though more skincare-focused.
• Bulgari Parfums: Italian luxury fragrance house operating under Bulgari (LVMH). Comparable as a luxury Italian heritage fragrance brand with global boutique and department store presence, though embedded in a larger jewelry house.

Regional players

• Dr. Vranjes: Italian luxury home fragrance and perfumery house founded in Florence in 1983. Comparable as a Florentine luxury fragrance brand with high-end home diffuser and home fragrance category focus and selective global department store presence.
• L'Erbolario: Italian natural cosmetics and fragrance house founded in 1978. Comparable as an Italian heritage pharmacy-style brand with botanical formulations, multi-category portfolio, and primary Italian/European retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@officinasmnovella
• Facebookfacebook.com/smnovella1221
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/officina-sm-novella
• Instagraminstagram.com/smnovella_official
• Xx.com/smnovella1221

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella