Dr. Viju Jacob
Executive Chairman at Synthite Industries Private Limited
When people think about Kerala’s global business success, spices are an obvious part of the story. But behind the journey from locally grown spices to sophisticated ingredients used by food and beverage companies around the world is a story of technology, innovation and long-term vision.
One of the key figures in that journey is Dr. Viju Jacob, Executive Chairman of Synthite Industries Limited.
Key Facts
Name: Dr. Viju Jacob
Position: Executive Chairman, Synthite Industries Limited
Company: Synthite Industries
Founder of Synthite: C. V. Jacob
Industry: Spice oleoresins, natural ingredients, flavours, fragrances and nutraceuticals
Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala
Core expertise: Spice extracts and plant-derived natural products
As the son of Synthite founder C. V. Jacob, Dr. Viju Jacob inherited a business with strong foundations. But his contribution has been much more than simply carrying forward his father’s company. Over the years, he has helped transform Synthite into a diversified natural-ingredients business with an international presence.
From Kerala to the Global Ingredient Industry
Synthite was established in 1972 by C. V. Jacob. The company initially operated in industrial chemicals before moving into the extraction of spice oleoresins.
Oleoresins are concentrated extracts obtained from spices and are widely used by the food, beverage, flavour and fragrance industries. Turning Kerala’s familiar spices into highly specialised industrial ingredients required considerably more than simply processing and packaging them.
Synthite invested in research, technology and manufacturing capabilities to make the extraction process commercially viable and consistent.
This became the foundation for the company’s later growth.
Dr. Viju Jacob joined that journey at a time when Synthite was expanding its capabilities and market presence. His leadership subsequently became closely associated with the company’s diversification into areas beyond conventional spice extraction.
Building a Business Around Natural Ingredients
Under Dr. Jacob’s leadership, Synthite developed into a supplier of plant-derived ingredients for customers across different industries.
The company’s portfolio expanded into areas including flavour and fragrance ingredients, natural colourants and nutraceutical-related products.
Rather than treating spices simply as agricultural commodities, Synthite’s approach has been to add value through science and processing.
That distinction is important.
A kilogram of raw spice and a specialised natural ingredient derived from that spice serve very different markets. By moving further up the value chain, Synthite created opportunities to compete in a global ingredients industry.
Entering Fragrance and Floriculture
One of Dr. Jacob’s significant initiatives was the development of Synthite’s fragrance division.
In 1986, the company established a fragrance facility at Maradur in Tamil Nadu, focusing on the extraction of floral concretes and absolutes.
The project also incorporated a floriculture nursery that supplied planting material to farmers.
This created an interesting connection between manufacturing and agriculture. Instead of relying solely on existing supply chains, the company helped develop cultivation around the raw materials it needed.
The approach created employment opportunities in the surrounding communities while giving farmers another avenue for agricultural income.
Marigold and the Farmer Network
Synthite also played a role in expanding commercial marigold cultivation in India.
The crop became an important source of raw material for the company’s natural colour business. According to company information, its agricultural network eventually involved thousands of farmers and large areas under cultivation.
This model illustrates one of the defining features of Synthite’s business: the connection between farmers, science and manufacturing.
The company could develop sophisticated ingredients only when it had reliable access to quality agricultural raw materials. Supporting cultivation therefore became part of the wider business strategy.
From a Kerala Company to an International Business
Synthite’s growth eventually moved well beyond India.
The company developed operations and partnerships in several international markets, building a presence across Asia, the Americas and other regions.
Its international expansion included manufacturing and blending capabilities in countries such as Brazil and China, alongside its Indian operations.
The company’s products are aimed primarily at business customers rather than consumers buying products directly from a supermarket shelf. Its ingredients can become part of much larger food, beverage, flavour, fragrance and health-product supply chains.
That makes Synthite an example of a Kerala company operating largely behind the scenes of global consumer brands.
Renewable Energy and Manufacturing
Dr. Jacob’s approach has also included an emphasis on energy and environmental initiatives.
Synthite has invested in the use of agricultural waste to generate electricity and steam for manufacturing operations. The company has also developed wind-energy projects in Tamil Nadu.
These initiatives reflect an effort to connect large-scale manufacturing with more efficient use of energy and agricultural resources.
Expanding Beyond Spice Extracts
While spice oleoresins remain central to Synthite’s identity, the company’s ambitions have expanded into other natural-product categories.
Under Dr. Jacob’s leadership, the group has explored nutraceuticals and natural health products, while also developing businesses connected with herbal ingredients and other plant-derived solutions.
He has also been associated with companies including Herbal Isolates, Synthite Exports and Synthite Properties & Investments.
The group has additionally pursued international collaborations, including a joint venture with Aromco UK in the flavour industry.
The Second Generation of Synthite
The story of Synthite is also an example of how a family enterprise can evolve across generations.
C. V. Jacob created the original business and spent years developing the technology and market for spice oleoresins. Dr. Viju Jacob subsequently helped take that foundation into new categories, markets and technologies.
The transition was not simply about preserving what the founder had built. It involved identifying new opportunities around the company’s existing strengths.
Spices became ingredients.
Ingredients became specialised solutions.
And a Kerala-based manufacturing company became an international natural-products business.
A Different Kind of Global Brand
Synthite may not be a household name in the way consumer food brands are. Most people will never see its name on the products they purchase.
Yet the company’s influence can be found further up the supply chain, where specialised ingredients are developed for food, beverages, fragrances, colours and health products.
That is what makes Dr. Viju Jacob’s entrepreneurial journey particularly interesting.
He has helped build a business where Kerala’s traditional strength in spices meets modern science, manufacturing and international commerce.
From the family’s early work in spice extraction to a business with operations and customers across global markets, the Synthite story shows how an agricultural resource can become the foundation for a sophisticated international industry.
For Kerala’s entrepreneurial landscape, it is a powerful example of a company that did not simply export spices — it learned how to add value to them and sell that value to the world.
