International Flavors & Fragrances

International Flavors & Fragrances was formed in 1958 by the merger between Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler. Polak & Schwarz was founded in 1889 by Leopold Schwarz, who had an interest in spices, flavors, and fragrances, and his brother-in-law, Joseph Polak in the small Dutch town of Zutphen. P&S quickly grew to 36 sites globally. Arnold Louis (A.L.) van Ameringen was hired by Polak & Schwarz to open P&S's US office in 1917 before losing his job with them. Relieved of his duties, he opened van Ameringen & Co. at 13 Gold Street in Manhattan, took over Morana, Inc. in 1920, and became van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH) in 1929.

Constant Cornelis (Cook) Brummer was a director at Polak & Schwarz during World War II. Because he saved hundreds of Jewish workers lives, he is compared to Oskar Schindler. He was recognized by Israel as Righteous Among the Nations in January 2017, for risking his own life to save others from the Nazis.[3][4][5]

The two companies did well through the bulk of the 20th century, despite difficulties for P&S during World War II. While both companies managed flavors and fragrances, Polak & Schwarz had particular strengths in flavors and van Ameringen-Haebler built a powerful reputation in fragrances. In 1958, the two companies announced their merger to become International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. IFF was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964. It was cross listed to the Euronext Paris Market in 2015, becoming the first US-listed company to make use of Euronext Paris Fast Path process.[6]

In 1968, in conjunction with the Monell Foundation, IFF established the Monell Chemical Senses Center, dedicated to the research of taste and smell.[7]

In 1985, Dr. Braja D. Mookherjee, a scientist at IFF, pioneered Living Flower technology, which changed the way perfumes are created. In 1990, IFF broke ground in their R&D facility located in Union Beach, NJ, to develop its 5,000-square-foot greenhouse and botanical garden, which can maintain tropical and subtropical temperature zones for more than 1,300 varieties of exotic plants.[8]

It is home to a miniature rose called "Overnight Scentsation" (also known as the "Space Rose") which was cultivated for experiments in space and left the Earth during a 10-day flight on board the shuttle Discovery (STS-95) in 1998. Low gravity critically altered the fragrance of the rose, which was later commercialized by IFF and Shiseido.[9][10][11][12]

Henry G. Walter, Jr., former IFF Chairman, 1962–1985,[13] was a noted philanthropist and prolific writer, who pioneered the field of aromatherapy. He is considered one of the most influential people in the Industry.[14] It has been speculated that he inspired some of the storylines and characters in the book Masters of Sex by Thomas Maier, as well as the Showtime series by the same the name.[15][16] During World War II, his wife, Rosalind (Palmer) Walter worked on the night shift as a riveter on the Corsair, the F4U Marine gull-winged, fighter airplane, inspiring the song "Rosie the Riveter."

In 2000, IFF acquired Laboratoire Monique Rémy based in Grasse, France and forms IFF LMR Naturals, strengthening its position in the development and use of raw materials, natural ingredients for fragrances and flavors.[17] In 2000, IFF acquired Bush Boake Allen with its complementary products, technologies, and presence in key markets, making IFF the largest flavor and fragrance house in the world for several years.

In 2014, IFF acquired Aromor Flavors and Fragrances Ltd., a privately held manufacturer and marketer of complex specialty ingredients that are used in fragrances and flavors, founded in 1982 and based in Israel in Kibbutz Givat Oz.[18]

In 2015, IFF announced that it completed the acquisition of Ottens Flavors.[19] This was followed in 2016 with the acquisition of David Michael & Company. Using this merger as a catalyst, they have since launched Tastepoint by IFF to serve dynamic middle-tier customers.

In 2015, IFF acquired Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, a cosmetic actives firm based in Canada that develops, manufactures and markets innovative ingredients for the cosmetic and personal care industry.[20]

In 2016, IFF acquired David Michael & Company, Inc.[21] Founded in 1896, David Michael was a privately-held flavors company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2017, IFF completed the acquisition of Fragrance Resources, a privately-held, family-owned fragrance company founded in 1987 by Horst F. W. Gerberding.

IFF acquired Columbia Phytotechnology LLC, A/K/A PowderPure on April 7, 2017.[22]

On June 26, 2017, IFF launched Tastepoint by IFF – a new company designed to service the middle-market customer in North America. Tastepoint by IFF represents the merger of David Michael & Co. and Ottens Flavors.[23]

On May 8, 2018, IFF acquired the Israeli company Frutarom for $7.1 Billion, a company established by Yehuda Araten and Maurice Gerzon, two industrialists from the Netherlands in 1933.[24]

In 2019, IFF acquired The Additive Advantage (TAA), a company that develops novel technologies with diverse capabilities that span applications and industries.[25] The Additive Advantage was founded in 2006.

IFF has 210 manufacturing facilities, creative centers and application laboratories located in 45 different countries, with a product portfolio covers taste, scent and complementary adjacent products, and over 128,000 individual products that are provided to customers in approximately 200 countries.[26] IFF's major manufacturing facilities are located in the United States, The Netherlands, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Slovenia, China, India, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Belgium and Singapore.

On December 15, 2019, IFF entered into definitive agreements with DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (“DuPont”), including an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which DuPont transferred its nutrition and biosciences business to Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont and Nutrition & Biosciences, Inc., which merged with and into a wholly owned subsidiary of IFF on February 1, 2020.[27]

Sales in 2021 were approximately $11.656 billion. Based on 2021 sales, approximately 41% were to global consumer products companies and approximately 59% were to small and mid-sized companies. The business is geographically diverse, with sales in the U.S. representing approximately 28% of sales in 2021. No other country represented more than 7% of sales.

The business consists of four segments: Nourish, Health & Biosciences, Scent and Pharma Solutions.[28]

The Nourish business spans a diversified portfolio across natural and plant-based specialty food ingredients, flavor compounds, and savory solutions and inclusions and consists of three business units: Ingredients, Flavors and Food Designs.

Ingredients include a diversified portfolio across natural and plant-based specialty food ingredients derived from herbs and plants that provide texturizing solutions used in the food industry, food protection solutions used in food and beverage products, as well as specialty soy and pea protein with value-added formulations, emulsifiers and sweeteners. Natural food protection ingredients consist of natural antioxidants and anti-microbials used for natural food preservation and shelf-life extension for beverages, cosmetic and healthcare products, pet food and feed additives.

Flavors include a range of flavor compounds and natural taste solutions that are ultimately used by customers in savory products (soups, sauces, meat, fish, poultry, snacks, etc.), beverages (juice drinks, carbonated or flavored beverages, spirits, etc.), sweets (bakery products, candy, cereal, chewing gum, etc.), and dairy products (yogurt, ice cream, cheese, etc.). Flavors also include value-added spices and seasoning ingredients for meat, food service, convenience, alternative protein and culinary products.

Food Designs include savory solution products such as spices, sauces, marinades and mixtures. Additionally, Food Designs provide inclusion products that help with taste and texture by, among other things, combining flavorings with fruit, vegetables and other natural ingredients for a wide range of food products, such as health snacks, baked goods, cereals, pastries, ice cream and other dairy products.

IFF's Health & Biosciences business consists of a biotechnology-driven portfolio of enzymes, food cultures, probiotics and specialty ingredients for food, home and personal care, and health and wellness applications. Health & Biosciences is composed of six business units: Health, Cultures & Food Enzymes, Home & Personal Care, Animal Nutrition, Grain Processing and Microbial Control.

Health provides ingredients for dietary supplements, functional food and beverage, specialized nutrition and pharma.

Cultures & Food Enzymes provides products that aim to serve the global demand for healthy, natural, clean label and fermented food for fresh dairy, cheese, bakery and brewing products. Such products contribute to extended shelf life and stability helping customers to improve their product offerings. The business's enzyme solutions also allow customers to provide low sugar, high fiber and lactose-free dairy products.

Home & Personal Care produces enzymes for laundry and dishwashing detergents, cleaning and textiles to help enhance the product and process performance of products in the fabric and homecare, textiles and industrials and personal care markets.

Animal Nutrition produces feed enzymes and animal health solutions that help to improve welfare, performance and sustainability of livestock animal farming.

Grain Processing produces yeasts and enzymes for biofuel production and carbohydrate processing.

Microbial Control produces biocides for controlling microbial populations for oil and gas production, home and personal care and industrial preservation markets.

The Scent segment is composed of three business units: Fragrance Compounds, Fragrance Ingredients and Cosmetic Actives.

Fragrance Compounds are unique and proprietary combinations of multiple fragrance ingredients that are ultimately used by customers in their consumer goods. IFF creative and commercial teams within fragrance compounds are organized into two broad categories, fine fragrances and consumer fragrances.

Fine fragrances focus is on perfumes and colognes, creating global and local namesake brands, from high luxury to mass market, from market leading to ultra-niche products.

Consumer fragrances include three end-use categories of products: Fabric Care, including laundry detergents, fabric softeners and specialty laundry products; Home Care, including household cleaners, dishwashing detergents and air fresheners; and Body Care, including personal wash, hair care and toiletries products.

Fragrance ingredients are natural and synthetic, and active and functional ingredients that are used internally and sold to third parties, including competitors, for use in the preparation of compounds. Flavor ingredients include natural flavor extracts, specialty botanical extracts, distillates, essential oils, citrus products, aroma chemicals and natural gums and resins. Such ingredients are used for food, beverage and flavors, and are often sold directly to food and beverage manufacturers who use them in producing consumer products.

Cosmetic Actives designs, develops, manufactures and markets innovative ingredients for the cosmetics and personal care industry, while offering active ingredients, functional ingredients, and delivery systems.

The Pharma Solutions business produces a vast portfolio including cellulosics and seaweed-based pharma excipients, used to improve the functionality and delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients, including controlled or modified drug release formulations, and enabling the development of more effective pharmaceutical finished dosage formats. IFF's excipients are used in prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. IFF's Pharma Solutions products also serve a variety of other specialty and industrial end-uses including coatings, inks, electronics, agriculture, and consumer products.

As of December 31, 2021, IFF has been granted 1,346 patents in the United States, since 2000, and have 608 pending patent applications. IFF has developed many unique molecules and delivery systems for customers that are used as the foundations of successful products around the world. The company's principal basic research and development activities are located in Union Beach, New Jersey; Wilmington, Delaware; Palo Alto, California; Brabrand, Denmark; and Leiden, The Netherlands. At those locations, IFF scientists and application engineers, while collaborating with its other research and development centers around the world, support the discovery of new materials; the development of new technologies, such as delivery systems; the creation of new compounds; and enhancement of existing ingredients and compounds.

As of December 31, 2021, approximately 3,400 people were globally employed in research and development activities. Through its global network of creative centers and application laboratories, IFF creates or adapts the basic Nourish, Health & Biosciences, Scent and Pharma Solutions that they have developed in the research and development process to commercialize for use in their customers’ consumer products.

Most of IFF's formulas are treated as trade secrets and remain proprietary assets.

In 2021, IFF continued to achieve notable recognitions including being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the second consecutive year, a family of best-in-class benchmarks for investors who recognize that sustainable business practices are critical to generating long-term shareholder value.

Once again named to both the 2021 World Index and the North America Index, this distinction validates IFF’s leadership position in sustainability performance and underscores a commitment to executing on key ESG priorities. IFF was also recognized among the 2021 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN, for the third and second consecutive years, respectively with a 100% score; part of this achievement was due to the fact that IFF launched a Disability Inclusion Taskforce that audits policies & practices for any opportunities to be more inclusive of People with Disabilities. Moreover, IFF maintained its “Best Place to Work for LGBTIQ+ Equality” with 100% scores in Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index and the HRC Equidad Mexico and also achieved a Bronze Level recognition form the India Workplace Equality Index.

For the first time in 2021, IFF was also recognized by CDP as a triple A list company for corporate transparency and action on climate change, water stewardship and deforestation. IFF continues to be named one of Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies and listed in the FTSE4Good Index series as well as in the Euronext Vigeo World 120 Index for ESG performance.

IFF was also ranked 1st on FoodTalks' Global Top 40 Plant Protein Companies list and 3rd on the Global Top 50 Food Flavors and Fragrances Companies in 2021.[29][30]

• Frank Clyburn: 2021- present[31]
• Andreas Fibig: 2014–2021 [32]
• Doug Tough: 2010–2014 [33]
• Robert Amen: 2006–2009.[34]

• Frutarom

• Business data for International Flavors & Fragrances:
  • Google Finance
  • Yahoo! Finance
  • SEC filings
• The World of Smell: An Inside Tour of the World's Largest Perfume Lab Time magazine, 2007