In 1965, in the heart of Kannauj, Mr. Sawailal Jain set up a single hydro-distillation unit. He believed the timeless art of Indian attars deserved to be experienced around the world. Six decades and three generations later, that belief has grown into Sawai Fragrances: a fragrance house with four facilities across India, its own naturals, and partners across India, the Middle East and the USA. This is how it happened.
Sawai at a glance
Sawai Fragrances is an Indian fragrance creation house and manufacturer founded in Kannauj in 1965 by Mr. Sawailal Jain. Now led by the third generation of the family and headquartered in Mumbai, it operates four facilities across India for distillation, extraction, compounding and filling, and creates fragrances for brands in India, the Middle East and the USA.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1965, Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh |
| Founder | Mr. Sawailal Jain |
| Headquarters | Mumbai |
| Facilities | Kannauj, Silvassa, Surat, Nilakkottai |
| First export | 1982, to the Gulf |
| Fragrances created | 1,500+ |
| Client partnerships | 100+ |
The timeline, 1965 to today
1965: A humble beginning
Mr. Sawailal Jain starts with one hydro-distillation unit in Kannauj, India’s perfume capital, turning the traditional craft of attar making into a purposeful enterprise. Read more about Kannauj attar and deg-bhapka distillation.
1975: Strengthening the roots
A decade of patience and steady growth, refining expertise in attars and natural oils.
1980: Laying strong foundations
Mr. Prabhat Jain, the second generation, joins the business. He opens the company’s first office on Princess Street in Mumbai, opening doors to larger markets, and introduces steam distillation in Kannauj, expanding the range of natural oils.
1982: Crossing oceans
Sawai secures its first international order. Hand-packed fragrances travel to the Gulf, the moment a local craft became a global story.
1990: The foundation of scale
A 5-acre facility in Silvassa, equipped with fractional distillation, builds the industrial backbone for decades to come.
2000: Expanding horizons
Sawai moves into floral solvent extraction in Tamil Nadu, adds CO₂ extraction facilities, and acquires land for vetiver and geranium cultivation, strengthening its position as a trusted fragrance partner in India and abroad.
2012: Modernisation with purpose
A state-of-the-art blending and development centre opens in Surat. Sawai shifts from being an ingredient supplier to becoming a fragrance creation partner.
2017: A new chapter
Mr. Pushkar Jain, the third generation, steps into leadership and brings all ventures together under one name, Sawai Fragrances: a unified identity, sharper positioning and a stronger platform for global growth.
Today: Growing with purpose
With a unified brand, a focused strategy and a global outlook, Sawai continues to expand its reach while staying anchored to its legacy of craft and integrity. A recent acquisition of around 2,000 acres of sandalwood plantation in Australia secures one of perfumery’s most precious materials, and the launch of Merve Fragrances reflects Sawai’s modern vision for a global audience.
The thread through 60 years: every stage added a capability, from distillation to extraction, compounding, creation and filling, until all of them sat under one roof. That is why Sawai can take a fragrance from a field to a finished bottle.
Three generations, one set of values
| Generation | Leader | In their words |
|---|---|---|
| Founder, 1965 to 1995 | Mr. Sawailal Jain | “A business built with honesty and hard work will always find its way forward.” |
| Second generation, 1980 to present | Mr. Prabhat Jain | “Growth is meaningful only when it is built on quality and consistency.” |
| Third generation, 2016 to present | Mr. Pushkar Jain | “Our legacy has taught us who we are, but staying relevant comes from adapting to the world as it evolves.” |
Each generation has modernised the business while keeping the same principles: respect for the craft, discipline in process and accountability in delivery.
Looking for a fragrance partner with six decades of experience?
What Sawai is today
- Fine fragrances, through Creation (signature scents) and Inspiration (market-aligned scents). See fine fragrances.
- Middle Eastern fragrances: attars, mukhallat, bakhoor and contemporary profiles. See Middle Eastern fragrances.
- Naturals: oils and absolutes grown, distilled and extracted in-house. See naturals.
- Air care fragrance oils for diffusion systems, used by the group’s own EZE AirCare. See air care.
- Private label and contract manufacturing for brands from start-ups to established labels such as Mufti, The Souled Store and Wrogn.
- Market intelligence that helps brands decide where a fragrance should sit before development begins.
Why the history matters to our partners
- Consistency: a company that has run the same distillery for decades can reproduce a fragrance approved years ago.
- Control: owning distillation, extraction and naturals means less dependence on the spot market.
- Scale: facilities built over decades support growth from a first order to export volumes.
- Trust: 60 years of long-term partnerships, not one-off production.
Working with Sawai
Whether you are a perfume brand, a fashion or lifestyle label, an FMCG manufacturer, a hospitality group or an exporter, Sawai brings perfumery, naturals, market intelligence and manufacturing together under one roof. Every partnership starts with understanding your brand, your market and your goals, and is built for the long term, the same way the business itself has been built since 1965.
Start a conversation with Sawai
Frequently asked questions
When was Sawai Fragrances founded?
Sawai Fragrances was founded in 1965 in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, by Mr. Sawailal Jain, starting with a single hydro-distillation unit.
Who leads Sawai Fragrances today?
Sawai is led by Mr. Pushkar Jain of the third generation, who joined the leadership in 2016 and brought the group together under the Sawai Fragrances name in 2017, alongside Mr. Prabhat Jain of the second generation.
Where are Sawai’s facilities?
Sawai operates facilities in Kannauj, Silvassa, Surat and Nilakkottai, with its head office in Mumbai.
When did Sawai start exporting?
Sawai secured its first international order in 1982, supplying fragrances to the Gulf.
What does Sawai make?
Fine fragrances, Middle Eastern fragrances, natural oils and absolutes, air care fragrance oils and functional fragrances, plus private label and contract manufacturing for brands.
Sixty years of fragrance, built for the next sixty
From one still in Kannauj to a global fragrance house, Sawai creates fragrances that inspire emotion, earn trust and stand the test of time.
