INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC company profile

Overview

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is a global creator and manufacturer of ingredients and products for food and beverage, health and biosciences, and scent applications. Its business spans flavor and taste solutions, specialty food ingredients, bioscience products, and fragrance compounds and ingredients.[1][2] IFF’s stated purpose is “to make joy through science, creativity and heart.” [3]

IFF reported FY2025 net sales of $10.89 billion.[4] The company lists approximately 22,400 employees and a presence in nearly 65 countries, reflecting its broad international operations.[3] [1]

Products & services

IFF’s Taste portfolio includes flavor compounds and natural taste solutions for foods and beverages, as well as spices and seasonings. Named offerings include IFF NEO™ flavor solutions and FLAVORFIT™ taste modulation, which addresses sweetness, salt, umami, mouthfeel and masking. Its digital flavor services use AI-assisted concept generation, predictive modeling and consumer testing to support flavor development.[5]

Health & Biosciences products include cultures for fermented dairy, cheese, plant-based and meat applications; enzymes for uses including dairy, baking, brewing, beverages and pet food; and probiotic cultures and formulations. Named offerings include HOWARU® probiotic strains such as B420®, NCFM®, Lpc-37®, Bi-07® and Bl-04®; THRIVE4U® premium enzymes, described as a three-enzyme lipase blend; and HOWARU® Pet PureStrong™, a probiotic developed for dogs.[9]

Scent products include fragrance compounds and ingredients for fine fragrances, household and personal-care products, alongside fragrance technologies designed to support intensity, longevity and malodor control. Its LMR Naturals portfolio includes ingredients made using extraction technologies such as CO₂ extraction; a named example is Tonka Bean CO₂ Absolute.[15]

For the six months ended June 30, 2026, Taste, Health & Biosciences, and Scent generated approximately 35.7%, 30.3% and 34.0%, respectively, of the three segments’ combined reported sales of $3.743 billion; these percentages are calculated from segment sales and are not product-category revenue shares.[20] [5]

Geographic presence

In FY2025, IFF reported net sales of $3.727 billion in Europe, Africa and the Middle East (34.2% of consolidated sales), $3.195 billion in North America (29.3%), $2.546 billion in Greater Asia (23.4%), and $1.422 billion in Latin America (13.1%). Percentages are calculated from reported regional sales of $10.890 billion; the reported breakdown is by region, not country.[21]

IFF’s FY2025 property listing included 112 plants, 60 laboratories and 61 offices worldwide. Plant counts by region were 49 in Europe, Africa and the Middle East; 24 in North America; 23 in Greater Asia; and 16 in Latin America. Its principal executive offices are in New York, New York, and Wilmington, Delaware; named basic R&D centers include Union Beach, New Jersey; Wilmington, Delaware; Palo Alto, California; Brabrand, Denmark; and Leiden, Netherlands.[22] IFF reported approximately 21,500 employees worldwide at year-end 2025 and facilities in more than 60 countries, without a regional employee breakdown.[23] [21]

Business segments

For FY2025, IFF reported five business segments. Taste develops flavor compounds and natural taste solutions for food and beverages, representing approximately 22.8% of FY2025 net sales. Food Ingredients provides specialty ingredients for food, including proteins, emulsifiers, sweeteners, natural antioxidants and antimicrobials, savory solutions and inclusion products; it accounted for approximately 30.1%. Health & Biosciences supplies biotechnology-derived enzymes, cultures, probiotics and specialty ingredients for food and non-food applications, including household care, animal feed and brewing; approximately 21.0%. Scent makes fragrance compounds and ingredients for fine fragrance, household and personal-care products; approximately 22.8%. Pharma Solutions supplied pharmaceutical excipients for medicines and dietary supplements; approximately 3.4%. Shares are calculated from reported FY2025 segment sales of $2,481 million, $3,278 million, $2,283 million, $2,479 million and $369 million, respectively, against consolidated net sales of $10,890 million.[24]

IFF split its former Nourish segment into Taste and Food Ingredients effective January 1, 2025.[29] In its Q2 2026 reporting, IFF classified Food Ingredients as discontinued operations; Taste, Health & Biosciences and Scent were the continuing reportable segments. Pharma Solutions had been sold in 2025. Accordingly, the percentages above describe FY2025 reported segment sales and are not the current continuing-segment mix.[30] [24]

Company history

Polak & Schwarz was founded in 1889 in Zutphen, Netherlands, by Josef Polak and Leopold Schwarz. In 1958, it merged with U.S. fragrance company van Ameringen-Haebler to form International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). IFF went public in 1964.[32]

IFF expanded its flavor business through acquisitions including Ottens Flavors in 2015 and David Michael & Company in 2016. In 2018, it acquired Frutarom, broadening its reach in flavors, fragrances and natural ingredients.[33]

In 2021, IFF completed its merger with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences business, substantially expanding its nutrition and biosciences operations. CEO succession followed in 2022 and 2024, when Frank Clyburn succeeded Andreas Fibig and J. Erik Fyrwald succeeded Clyburn. From 2023 through 2025, IFF divested several businesses, including Pharma Solutions, and reorganized its former Nourish segment into Taste and Food Ingredients effective January 2025.[36] [32]

Continue your research

From company context to financial detail.

Explore original sources and worldwide fundamental financial data and intelligence with Finbar.

Explore INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC in Finbar ↗

INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC