International Flavors & Fragrances
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA global creator and manufacturer of flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and bioscience solutions.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is a multinational ingredients and specialty-products company serving manufacturers in food, beverages, fragrances, personal care, household products, nutrition, health, and related consumer markets. Its portfolio extends beyond conventional flavor and perfume compounds to include taste and scent ingredients, texturants, enzymes, cultures, probiotics, soy proteins, cosmetic actives, and other formulation technologies. IFF generally sells business-to-business: its ingredients and creative systems are incorporated into products marketed by food, beverage, consumer-health, beauty, and household-goods companies. The modern company was created in 1958 through the combination of two businesses with complementary capabilities. Polak & Schwarz, founded in Zutphen, Netherlands, in 1889, developed a broad international presence in spices, flavors, and fragrances. Van Ameringen-Haebler developed from the United States operations established by A. L. van Ameringen after his departure from Polak & Schwarz. The merger combined Polak & Schwarz’s flavor expertise with van Ameringen-Haebler’s strong fragrance business and created the corporate platform that became IFF. IFF expanded through research, global manufacturing, acquisitions, and partnerships. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964 and later became a member of the S&P 500. Research has been central to the company’s identity, including work on taste and smell perception, natural fragrance extraction, botanical materials, encapsulation, biotechnology, and sustainable chemistry. In 1968, IFF helped establish the Monell Chemical Senses Center with the Monell Foundation. Its Living Flower technology, developed by scientist Braja D. Mookherjee in the 1980s, used analytical techniques to reproduce the scent profiles of living flowers more accurately in perfumery. IFF also maintained a greenhouse and botanical research facility in New Jersey and participated in the development and commercialization of fragrance concepts associated with the rose known as Overnight Scentsation or the Space Rose. The company’s growth accelerated through acquisitions. It acquired Laboratoire Monique Rémy and Bush Boake Allen in 2000, Aromor in 2014, Lucas Meyer Cosmetics and Ottens Flavors in 2015, and David Michael & Company in 2016. The David Michael transaction helped support Tastepoint by IFF, a business aimed at serving dynamic middle-market customers. In 2018, IFF acquired Frutarom, substantially broadening its natural ingredients, flavors, and specialty-ingredients platform. In 2021, IFF combined with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business in a large reverse Morris Trust transaction, adding nutrition, enzymes, cultures, probiotics, and other bioscience capabilities. IFF has also reshaped its portfolio through divestitures. Its Savory Solutions Group was sold to PAI Partners in 2023 and became NovaTaste. IFF sold its Pharma Solutions division to Roquette in 2024, and Lucas Meyer Cosmetics was sold to Clariant in 2024. These transactions reflected a focus on businesses aligned with IFF’s core taste, scent, nutrition, ingredients, and bioscience activities. Sustainability is a recurring element of IFF’s public positioning. The company has reported on green chemistry, renewable energy, responsible sourcing, palm-oil certification, waste reduction, and agricultural-community programs. Examples include a solar installation supporting its New Jersey operations, an on-site wind turbine at Tilburg in the Netherlands, participation in Together for Sustainability, and a partnership with Unilever and other organizations supporting Haitian vetiver-farming communities. IFF remains an active global supplier whose products are usually invisible to consumers but are present in a wide range of branded everyday goods.
History
IFF’s history combines Dutch flavor and fragrance trading with American perfumery and industrial development. Polak & Schwarz was established in Zutphen, Netherlands, in 1889 by Leopold Schwarz and his brother-in-law Joseph Polak. It expanded internationally and eventually operated dozens of sites. During the Second World War, company director Constant Cornelis Brummer helped save Jewish employees from Nazi persecution; Israel later recognized him as Righteous Among the Nations in 2017. A. L. van Ameringen opened Polak & Schwarz’s U.S. office in 1917. After leaving the company, he established van Ameringen & Co. in Manhattan, acquired Morana in 1920, and reorganized the business as van Ameringen-Haebler in 1929. The two predecessor companies developed complementary strengths: Polak & Schwarz was particularly associated with flavors, while van Ameringen-Haebler became a major fragrance supplier. They merged in 1958 to form International Flavors & Fragrances. IFF became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964. Its subsequent growth came from international facilities, technical laboratories, creative centers, and research into the chemistry and psychology of taste and smell. In 1968, IFF worked with the Monell Foundation to establish the Monell Chemical Senses Center. In the 1980s, scientist Braja D. Mookherjee pioneered Living Flower technology, which analyzed the scent of living flowers and helped perfumers recreate their character using fragrance materials. IFF later developed a greenhouse and botanical garden in New Jersey for research on exotic plants. A miniature rose associated with the Overnight Scentsation project was flown aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998; the altered scent produced under low gravity informed later commercialization. The acquisition of Laboratoire Monique Rémy and Bush Boake Allen in 2000 expanded IFF’s natural-materials and global flavor and fragrance capabilities. Aromor was acquired in 2014, followed by Ottens Flavors, Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, and David Michael & Company in 2015–2016. The latter transaction helped lead to Tastepoint by IFF, intended to serve smaller and middle-market customers with application-focused flavor solutions. IFF’s 2018 acquisition of Frutarom was a major expansion into natural extracts, specialty ingredients, and flavor technologies. In 2019, the company agreed to combine with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business. The combination, completed in 2021, added enzymes, cultures, probiotics, plant proteins, and other nutrition and bioscience capabilities and changed IFF from a primarily flavor-and-fragrance company into a broader ingredients platform. IFF has since streamlined parts of the enlarged portfolio. Savory Solutions was sold to PAI Partners and became NovaTaste, while Pharma Solutions was sold to Roquette in 2024. Lucas Meyer Cosmetics was also sold to Clariant in 2024. Alongside these portfolio moves, IFF has promoted responsible sourcing, green chemistry, renewable electricity, emissions reduction, and community programs involving agricultural raw materials. Its current activities span taste, scent, texture, nutrition, biotechnology, and specialty ingredients for customers across global consumer markets.
- 2024
Pharma Solutions sold to Roquette
[1]IFF announced the sale of its Pharma Solutions division to Roquette for approximately $2.85 billion.
- 2021
Nutrition & Biosciences combination completed
[1]The combination with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business expanded IFF into enzymes, cultures, probiotics, proteins, and nutrition technologies.
- 2018
Frutarom acquired
[1]IFF acquired Frutarom in a transaction valued at approximately $7.1 billion.
- 2014
Aromor acquired
[1]IFF acquired Israeli specialty-ingredients company Aromor Flavors and Fragrances.
- 2000
Bush Boake Allen and Laboratoire Monique Rémy acquired
[1]The acquisitions broadened IFF’s global flavor, fragrance, and natural-ingredient capabilities.
- 1998
Space Rose project
[1]IFF’s Overnight Scentsation rose traveled aboard Space Shuttle Discovery for research into how low gravity affects fragrance.
- 1985
Living Flower technology pioneered
[1]IFF scientist Braja D. Mookherjee developed a method for capturing and reproducing the scent profile of living flowers.
- 1968
Monell Chemical Senses Center established
[1]IFF and the Monell Foundation helped establish a research center devoted to taste and smell science.
- 1964
New York Stock Exchange listing
[1]IFF became publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 1958
IFF formed through merger
[1]Polak & Schwarz and van Ameringen-Haebler merged to create International Flavors & Fragrances.
Products and positioning
A science-led, global B2B ingredients partner combining creative taste and scent development with nutrition, biotechnology, natural materials, and sustainability-oriented formulation.
Food and beverage ingredients
Flavors
IFF develops flavor compounds, extracts, modulators, and complete taste systems for categories such as beverages, dairy, bakery, confectionery, savory foods, and nutrition products. Its work combines sensory science, formulation, application testing, and regulatory support. The products are supplied to manufacturers rather than normally sold directly to consumers.
Fine fragrance and consumer fragrance
Fragrances
IFF creates perfume compositions and functional fragrance systems for fine fragrance, personal care, fabric care, home care, and related consumer products. Its capabilities include perfumery, aroma chemicals, natural materials, odor evaluation, encapsulation, and fragrance delivery. Living Flower research is one of the company’s notable historical innovations in this field.
Flavor solutions · 2016
Tastepoint by IFF
Tastepoint by IFF was developed following the acquisition of David Michael & Company and is oriented toward dynamic middle-market and regional customers. It provides flavor development, application support, and formulation services intended to help customers move from concept to commercial product.
Nutrition and biotechnology ingredients · 2021
Nutrition and Biosciences
Following the Nutrition & Biosciences combination, IFF added enzymes, cultures, probiotics, proteins, specialty nutrition ingredients, and related biotechnology platforms. These materials support food processing, digestive and nutritional applications, animal nutrition, and other industrial or consumer formulations.
Botanical and specialty ingredients
Natural ingredients
IFF supplies natural materials and specialty ingredients for flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, and personal care. The platform includes botanical research, extraction, ingredient development, and sourcing programs. The acquisition of Laboratoire Monique Rémy and later Frutarom strengthened this area.
Controversies
Diacetyl and bronchiolitis obliterans litigation
Workers at a microwave-popcorn facility alleged that exposure to butter flavorings containing diacetyl caused bronchiolitis obliterans and that manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings. IFF and other defendants disputed the allegations and causation. The reference material reports that multiple cases were settled, with settlements totaling nearly $53 million across the litigation.
Jacksonville odor dispute
Residents near an IFF plant in Jacksonville, Florida, complained for years about offensive chemical-like odors. The dispute led to a class-action lawsuit and a cease-and-desist proceeding concerning alleged emissions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Vetiver Together Partnership
Haiti · Global supply chain
IFF and Unilever worked with Oxfam Great Britain, the Ford Foundation, and Heifer International on a program intended to improve livelihoods among Haitian vetiver-farming communities and strengthen the supply of a key fragrance raw material.
Outcome. A long-term responsible-sourcing and rural-livelihoods initiative; the reference material does not provide a final quantified outcome.
- 2011The Essence of IFF sustainability reporting
Global
IFF published its first external sustainability report, establishing a public framework for reporting on environmental and social priorities.
Outcome. Created a continuing sustainability-reporting platform.
Brand decisions
2024
Sell Pharma Solutions to RoquetteM&ABackground
IFF continued portfolio simplification and focused on businesses closer to its core ingredients and bioscience activities.
Action taken
Sold the Pharma Solutions division to Roquette.
Aftermath
Roquette became the owner of the divested pharmaceutical-excipients business.
Transaction value. $2.85 billion (Announced in 2024)
2022
Divest Savory Solutions GroupM&ABackground
IFF began reshaping the portfolio after the Nutrition & Biosciences combination.
Action taken
Agreed to sell Savory Solutions Group to PAI Partners.
Aftermath
The business was rebranded as NovaTaste after completion.
Transaction value. Approximately $900 million (Announced in 2022)
2019
Combine with DuPont Nutrition & BiosciencesM&ABackground
IFF pursued a larger ingredients and bioscience platform beyond traditional flavors and fragrances.
Action taken
Announced a reverse Morris Trust transaction combining IFF with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business.
Aftermath
The transaction, completed in 2021, added nutrition, enzymes, cultures, probiotics, and protein capabilities.
Combined enterprise value. $45.4 billion (Announced in 2019)
2018
Acquire FrutaromM&ABackground
IFF sought to expand its global flavor, natural-ingredient, and specialty-ingredient activities.
Action taken
Announced and completed the acquisition of Frutarom for approximately $7.1 billion.
Aftermath
IFF gained a broader portfolio and stronger presence in natural and specialty ingredients.
Transaction value. $7.1 billion (2018)
Recent events
Reported
IFF announces agreement to sell Microbial Control business[3]
IFF announced an agreement to sell its Microbial Control business unit to LANXESS for $1.3 billion. The companies expected the transaction to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary conditions and regulatory clearances.
Reported
IFF launches Nurica enzyme in China[4]
IFF announced the launch of its Nurica enzyme in China, offering dairy producers a way to create products with dietary fiber and reduced or no lactose.
Reported
IFF launches Enovera 3001 bakery enzyme[5]
IFF announced the launch of Enovera 3001, an enzyme-only dough strengthener for bakery manufacturers and the newest addition to its bakery ingredients range.
Reported
IFF and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences merger completed[6]
DuPont announced that the merger of IFF and its Nutrition & Biosciences business was completing on February 1, 2021. In connection with closing, DuPont was to receive a special cash payment of about $7.3 billion.
Reported
IFF announces merger with DuPont nutrition and biosciences business[7]
IFF announced that it would merge with DuPont's nutrition and biosciences business to create a new company. The transaction was valued at $26.2 billion and remained subject to IFF shareholder approval.
Reported
Neptune and IFF pursue hemp-derived CBD product collaboration[8]
Neptune announced that it was actively pursuing a product development collaboration with International Flavors & Fragrances to co-develop hemp-derived CBD products for the U.S. market.
Sources9 sources
- 1International Flavors & Fragrancesen.wikipedia.org
- 2IFF corporate websiteiff.com
- 3IFF宣布出售微生物控制业务finanznachrichten.de
- 4IFF在中国推出Nurica酶prweb.com
- 5IFF推出Enovera 3001烘焙酶prweb.com
- 6IFF与杜邦营养与生物科学业务完成合并finanznachrichten.de
- 7IFF宣布与杜邦营养与生物科技业务合并finance.sina.com.cn
- 8Neptune与IFF推进大麻源CBD产品合作prnewswire.com
- 9IFF completes merger with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences businessdairyreporter.com
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