
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American company that creates, manufactures, and supplies flavours and fragrances for a variety of industries, including food, beverage, personal care, and household products. The company was formed in 1958 through the merger of two predecessor companies, Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH), and has since grown to become a global leader in its industry, with a presence in 44 countries. IFF is committed to sustainability and social responsibility, as evidenced by its involvement in initiatives such as the Vetiver Together Partnership and its membership in the We Are Still In network to address climate change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) |
| Industry | Food, beverage, personal care, and household products |
| Products | Flavors and fragrances |
| Product Categories | Taste, texture, scent, nutrition, enzymes, cultures, soy proteins, and probiotics |
| Operations | Creative, sales, and manufacturing |
| Countries of Operation | 44 |
| Headquarters | New York City, Manhattan |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founding Companies | Polak & Schwarz (P&S), van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH) |
| Stock Exchange Listing | New York Stock Exchange (1964) |
| Sustainability Initiatives | Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Fragrance: PuraVita™, CDP Climate "A" List, Together for Sustainability (TfS) |
| Acquisitions | Laboratoire Monique Rémy, Bush Boake Allen |
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What You'll Learn
- International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that creates products across various categories, including taste, texture, scent, and nutrition
- IFF is committed to sustainability and has been recognised for its efforts, such as achieving a Platinum level Material Health Certificate for its PuraVita™ fragrance
- The corporation has a presence in 44 countries, with facilities for creative, sales, and manufacturing processes
- IFF engages in the manufacture and supply of flavours and fragrances used in food, beverage, personal care, and household products
- The company was formed in 1958 by the merger of two successful companies, Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH)

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that creates products across various categories, including taste, texture, scent, and nutrition
Headquartered in New York City, IFF has a presence in 44 countries, with creative, sales, and manufacturing facilities worldwide. The company is a leader in the flavour and fragrance industry, creating products for food, beverage, personal care, and household products. IFF's perfumers and scent experts collaborate across generations, borders, and cultures to innovate in perfumery, utilising technical expertise and creativity.
IFF's fragrance offerings include fine fragrances, consumer products, and beauty brands. The company's perfumery school, established in the 1960s, has trained renowned perfumers and continues to welcome trainees from every continent. IFF's fragrance portfolio includes legendary molecule signatures like Cashmeran, ISO E Super, and Amber Xtreme. The company also prioritises sustainability, harnessing mindful fragrance design and ingredients processes to minimise environmental impact.
In addition to fragrances, IFF creates products that enhance taste and texture experiences in food and beverages. The company's flavourists, scientists, and innovation experts work together to reimagine these experiences, incorporating bioscience, microbiome, and fermentation expertise to develop more efficient and sustainable products. IFF's commitment to sustainability is further demonstrated by its involvement in a collective wastewater treatment plant in the Netherlands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and joining sustainability initiatives like Together for Sustainability.
IFF also focuses on nutrition and health, with scientists formulating groundbreaking technologies and ingredients that promote wellbeing. The company's Science of Wellness program guides the creation of scents with additional consumer benefits, such as emotional, cognitive, and physical advantages. IFF's diverse workforce and collaborative approach enable it to innovate at the intersection of science and creativity, positively impacting people and the planet.
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IFF is committed to sustainability and has been recognised for its efforts, such as achieving a Platinum level Material Health Certificate for its PuraVita™ fragrance
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that manufactures and supplies flavours and fragrances for the food, beverage, personal care, and household products industries. Sustainability is a key component of IFF's business strategy, and the company has been recognised for its efforts in this area.
In 2016, IFF debuted PuraVita, the world's first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ fragrance. This achievement earned IFF a Platinum level Material Health Certificate. PuraVita is a breakthrough in fragrance creation, not just for IFF but for the industry at large. It serves as proof of concept for an innovative approach to sustainable fragrance creation, demonstrating what can be achieved when perfumers pair creativity with sustainable design principles.
The Platinum level Material Health Certificate recognises that PuraVita's ingredients are safe and non-toxic, meeting the highest standards for material health. This certification helps build credibility and trust with customers and consumers, as it communicates IFF's commitment to providing products that are not only effective but also safe and environmentally friendly.
In addition to the Platinum level Material Health Certificate for PuraVita, IFF has been recognised for its sustainability efforts in other ways. In 2016, the company was awarded a place on the CDP Climate "A" List for the second year in a row and achieved a 7% year-over-year reduction in GHG emissions intensity. IFF also became the first flavours and fragrances company to join Together for Sustainability (TfS), driving responsible sourcing throughout their supply chain. These achievements demonstrate IFF's commitment to sustainability and its leadership in the industry.
Through its sustainability initiatives, IFF is nourishing both people and the planet, creating efficient and sustainable products, and supporting health and well-being. The company's dedication to sustainability is reflected in its purpose: to redefine how we live in and care for the resources of our world.
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The corporation has a presence in 44 countries, with facilities for creative, sales, and manufacturing processes
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that manufactures and supplies flavours and fragrances for a variety of industries, including food, beverage, personal care, and household products. The company was formed in 1958 through the merger of two predecessor companies, Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH).
With headquarters in New York City, IFF has established a global presence, operating creative, sales, and manufacturing facilities across 44 countries. This extensive reach enables the corporation to market its diverse range of products worldwide. IFF's international presence is a key aspect of its business, allowing it to cater to a wide range of customers and meet the demands of a global market.
The company's creative facilities are hubs of innovation, where flavourists, scientists, and perfumers collaborate to develop unique products. These facilities are dedicated to innovation and creativity, harnessing the power of science and technology to create distinctive flavours and fragrances. By investing in research and development, IFF ensures that its products remain cutting-edge and aligned with market demands.
Sales and manufacturing facilities form the backbone of IFF's global operations. The sales facilities are strategically located to cater to diverse markets and customers, ensuring efficient distribution networks. Meanwhile, the manufacturing facilities are responsible for producing the flavours and fragrances on a large scale, adhering to stringent quality standards. These facilities enable IFF to meet the demands of its global customer base and maintain its position as a leading supplier in the industry.
The corporation's presence in 44 countries provides a significant competitive advantage, allowing it to adapt to local tastes and preferences while also reaching a diverse, international market. By investing in these facilities worldwide, IFF has solidified its position as a global leader in the flavours and fragrances industry, with a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.
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IFF engages in the manufacture and supply of flavours and fragrances used in food, beverage, personal care, and household products
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that manufactures and supplies flavours and fragrances for a variety of industries, including food, beverage, personal care, and household products. The company was formed in 1958 through the merger of two successful companies: Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH). P&S, founded in 1889, specialised in flavours, while VAH built a strong reputation in fragrances. Together, they created IFF, which is now headquartered in New York City and operates in 44 countries worldwide.
IFF creates products across various categories, including taste, texture, scent, nutrition, enzymes, cultures, soy proteins, and probiotics, which it markets globally. The company has a strong focus on sustainability and has been recognised for its efforts in this area. In 2015, IFF collaborated with other companies to open a collective wastewater treatment plant in the Netherlands, capable of processing 10 million litres of wastewater per day. In the same year, IFF achieved LEED Silver Certification for its Flavors Creative Centre in Indonesia and Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Supply Chain Certification for its facilities in the US, UK, and the Netherlands.
In 2016, IFF continued its commitment to sustainability by deploying the industry's first on-site wind turbine at its Tilburg, Netherlands manufacturing facility, generating up to 30% of the site's electricity needs. The company also released PuraVita™, the first-ever Cradle to Cradle Certified™ fragrance, earning a Platinum level Material Health Certificate. IFF's dedication to sustainability has been recognised by EcoVadis, ranking it gold and placing it among the top suppliers and partners in the industry.
IFF has also been actively involved in initiatives to improve the lives of communities worldwide. In 2016, IFF and Unilever launched the Vetiver Together Partnership to support vetiver farming communities in Haiti and enhance the supply chain. This project is supported by the Enhancing Livelihoods Fund, a collaboration between Unilever, Oxfam Great Britain, and the Ford Foundation. IFF's commitment to making a positive impact globally is evident through its various initiatives and partnerships.
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The company was formed in 1958 by the merger of two successful companies, Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH)
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) was formed in 1958 by the merger of two successful companies, Polak & Schwarz (P&S) and van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH). The history of IFF, however, dates back to 1889 when Leopold Schwarz and his brother-in-law, Joseph Polak, founded P&S in the small Dutch town of Zutphen. P&S specialised in spices, flavours, and fragrances, and quickly expanded globally, with 36 sites around the world.
In 1917, P&S hired Arnold Louis (A.L.) van Ameringen to open their US office. However, he was soon relieved of his duties and went on to establish van Ameringen & Co. at 13 Gold Street in Manhattan. In 1920, van Ameringen & Co. took over Morana, Inc., and in 1929, the company became known as van Ameringen-Haebler (VAH). During World War II, Constant Cornelis (Cook) Brummer, a director at P&S, saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish workers, risking his own life. For his bravery, he was recognised by Israel as Righteous Among the Nations in 2017.
While both P&S and VAH managed flavours and fragrances, each company had its own strengths. P&S specialised in flavours, while VAH built a powerful reputation in fragrances. The merger of these two successful and complementary businesses in 1958 created an instant global player in the flavours and fragrances industry. The newly formed IFF was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964.
Over the years, IFF has continued to expand and diversify its offerings. In 2000, IFF acquired Laboratoire Monique Rémy in Grasse, France, strengthening its capabilities in natural ingredients for fragrances and flavours. That same year, IFF's acquisition of Bush Boake Allen, an international chemical company, made it the largest flavour and fragrance company in the world. IFF has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainability, joining the American Business Act on Climate Pledge in 2015 and opening a collective wastewater treatment plant in the Netherlands in 2015.
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Frequently asked questions
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) is an American corporation that creates products across taste, texture, scent, nutrition, enzymes, cultures, soy proteins, and probiotics categories, which it markets globally.
IFF creates products for the food, beverage, health, household goods, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries. Some of their products include fragrances, perfumes, colognes, cosmetic active ingredients, and flavour compounds.
IFF is committed to global waste management and sustainable consumption. They aim to achieve Zero Waste-to-Landfill (ZWL) status at all major manufacturing sites by 2030. They also focus on improving the materials and processes used to produce or extract ingredients, increasing the presence of biotechnology in perfumery ingredient processes, and driving responsible sourcing throughout their supply chain.











































