Givaudan

What Givaudan does

Givaudan SA, headquartered in Vernier, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: GIVN), is the world's largest flavors and fragrances company with approximately 11% global market share. Founded in 1895 and operating for over 250 years when including predecessor heritage, Givaudan generated CHF 7,472 million in 2025 sales across two divisions: Fragrance & Beauty (CHF 3,830 million) and Taste & Wellbeing (CHF 3,642 million). The company employs approximately 17,500-17,580 staff across 167 locations including 77 production sites globally, with operations spanning Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, South Asia, Middle East, and Africa.

The company develops customized fragrance and flavor compounds rather than finished consumer products, supplying major consumer goods manufacturers including Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and PepsiCo. Core technology platforms include the Scentaurus™ family of fragrance precursors (triggered by oxygen, light, or humidity for long-lasting scent delivery), the Carto AI-powered fragrance design system processing hundreds of thousands of compounds, the Myrissi AI emotion-mapping platform, the ChériScentz™ neuroscience-based fragrance design tool, and a broad active beauty ingredients portfolio (PrimalHyal™, Evernityl™, Silk-iCare™, Neuroglow™). The Taste & Wellbeing division delivers flavors via TasteSolutions®, TasteCollections®, and TasteEssentials®, alongside natural colors (Sense Colour, Everzure™ Galdieria) and texture solutions (Green Banana Powder). R&D spend reached CHF 551 million (7.4% of sales) in 2025, supported by 65 creation and research centres and over 5,000 patents.

Givaudan generates revenue through negotiated B2B contracts with long-term supply relationships, organized by use case: Consumer Products (personal care, fabric care, home care, oral care), Fine Fragrances (luxury/celebrity), Active Beauty (cosmetic actives), and Food & Beverage Manufacturers (snacks, beverages, dairy, savory, sweet goods, supplements, pet food). Distribution is via direct B2B supply through the company's own global manufacturing footprint. Strategic positioning emphasizes sustainability leadership (100% renewable electricity, CDP A for 7 consecutive years, MSCI ESG AAA since 2017), proprietary talent pipelines through the Perfumery and Flavourist Schools, and active M&A (Belle Aire Creations, Vollmens Fragrances, Eurofragance) to deepen regional fragrance presence.

Name

Givaudan

Legal name

Givaudan SA

Website

https://givaudan.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Givaudan is the world's largest flavors and fragrances company, supplying customized fragrance compounds and taste solutions to consumer goods manufacturers including Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever. It operates two divisions—Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing—across 167 global locations with CHF 7.47 billion in 2025 sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fragrances and Flavors

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex) (CRABADAA), Personal Fragrances (Perfume, Cologne, Body Sprays) (CRADANAD)

Keywords

• Fragrance compounds
• Flavor ingredients
• Cosmetic actives
• Taste solutions
• Fragrance precursors

Headquarters

HQ city

Vernier

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fragrance & Beauty: Revenue from creating and supplying fragrances for fine fragrances, consumer products (personal care, fabric care, home care, oral care), fragrance ingredients, and Active Beauty cosmetic ingredients. Division generated CHF 3,830 million in 2025 sales with 7.9% like-for-like growth.
2. Taste & Wellbeing: Revenue from flavors and taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers including snacks, beverages, savory, sweet goods, dairy, cheese, supplements, and pet food. Division generated CHF 3,642 million in 2025 sales with 2.4% like-for-like growth.
3. Product Sales (B2B): Primary revenue stream through long-term supply relationships with consumer goods manufacturers. The company sells customized compounds and ingredients rather than finished consumer products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Givaudan develops, manufactures, and supplies fragrance compounds, flavor ingredients, and active cosmetic ingredients to consumer goods manufacturers worldwide. The company operates two divisions: Fragrance & Beauty (fine fragrances, consumer product fragrances, Active Beauty cosmetic actives) generating CHF 3,830 million in 2025 sales, and Taste & Wellbeing (food and beverage flavors, wellness and health ingredients) generating CHF 3,642 million in 2025 sales. Customers include Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and PepsiCo, served through long-term B2B supply contracts and co-creation partnerships via 77 production sites globally.

Product overview

Givaudan operates as a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing, organized around two main divisions. The Fragrance & Beauty division encompasses Consumer Products (fragrances for personal care, home care, fabric care, oral care), Fine Fragrances (prestige perfumery), Active Beauty (cosmetic ingredients and wellness solutions), and the Fragrance Ingredients Business. The Taste & Wellbeing division provides flavors and taste solutions through TasteSolutions®, TasteCollections, and TasteEssentials® product lines, complemented by health and wellness solutions including Nutri Essentials, Health Essentials, Wellness Essentials, and reduction solutions (salt, sugar, fat). The core technology platform Scentaurus™ provides fragrance precursor technology with multiple variants (Aquamelon, Vanilla, Melrose, PolyDoux, Clean, Juicy, Berry, Tonkarose) enabling long-lasting fragrance delivery. Active Beauty ingredients include PrimalHyal™ 50 Life, PrimalHyal NeuroYouth, Silk-iCare™, Neuroglow™, and Evernityl™ for skin care applications. The company also offers digital experiences including Garden Makers on Roblox and AI-powered platforms like Carto and Myrissi for fragrance development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scentaurus: Family of fragrance precursor technologies that release fragrance molecules when exposed to natural triggers like oxygen, light, or humidity; includes Scentaurus Aquamelon, PolyDoux, Vanilla, Melrose, Tonkarose, Clean, Juicy, and Berry variants
• Active Beauty
• TasteSolutions
• Naturex
• PlanetCaps

Products and services

• Scentaurus™ A platform of fragrance precursor technologies that release fragrant molecules when exposed to natural triggers (oxygen, light, humidity). Enables long-lasting fragrance delivery in laundry detergents, fabric softeners, shampoos, and body washes. Sold to consumer goods manufacturers for incorporation into finished products.
• Scentaurus™ Aquamelon First fragrance precursor specifically designed for hair care applications. Oxygen-activated innovation delivering a watery green melon and floral muguet accord with high deposition. Biodegradable per OECD guidelines. Sold to personal care manufacturers.
• Scentaurus™ Vanilla Non-colouring elegant vanilla note fragrance precursor activated by oxygen, delivering wave of freshness and long-lasting powdery, creamy vanilla effect.
• Scentaurus™ Melrose Biodegradable fragrance precursor featuring performant floral fresh rosy signal with powdery anisic undertones, triggered by oxygen. Extends perfumers' palette across categories.
• Scentaurus™ PolyDoux Fruity gourmand fragrance precursor unlocking new creative possibilities for personal care applications like shampoos.
• Scentaurus™ Clean Fragrance precursor that unfolds an aldehydic and fresh note in response to air humidity.
• Scentaurus™ Juicy High-impact fruity juiciness fragrance precursor triggered by oxygen.
• Scentaurus™ Berry Fragrance precursor that releases a powerful and long-lasting floral-fruity rosy note on contact with oxygen.
• Scentaurus™ Tonkarose Light, cleavable fragrance precursor releasing two different odourants when activated by light.
• TasteSolutions® Flavor systems that help food and beverage manufacturers create consistent taste profiles across product categories. Assists in reformulating products to reduce sugar and salt while maintaining flavor, especially in plant-based and health-focused foods. Sold to F&B manufacturers.
• PrimalHyal™ 50 Life Transformational sustainability breakthrough in hyaluronic acid production, creating active cosmetic ingredient with reduced environmental impact. Sold to cosmetic and personal care manufacturers.
• PrimalHyal™ NeuroYouth Active skincare ingredient targeting nerve fibre regeneration and neuronal function related to skin aging. Unveiled at in-cosmetics Global 2026. Sold to skincare brands.
• Evernityl™ Active ingredient from marine macroalgae that combats skin ageing and promotes youthful skin, building on research into skin microbiome and metabolites. Sold to skincare manufacturers.
• Silk-iCare™ Vegan biomimetic silk protein designed to protect and repair the skin. Sold to skincare manufacturers.
• Neuroglow™ Breakthrough active ingredient designed to safely replicate molecular power of the sun for skin benefits. Sold to skincare manufacturers.
• Zensera™ Patent-pending lemon-balm extract that supports cognitive performance under stress. Science-backed, clean label ingredient effective at low dose for beverages and dietary supplements. Sold to supplement and beverage manufacturers.
• Green Banana Powder Clean-label upcycled green banana powder that replaces synthetic texturisers, delivering consistent texture and mouthfeel while adding fibre and nutritional appeal to food applications. Sold to food manufacturers.
• Everzure™ Galdieria Natural vibrant blue colour extracted from microalgae, approved by US FDA for food and beverages. Addresses regulatory pressure and bans on synthetic colours. Sold to food and beverage manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.1% like-for-like sales growth in 2025, exceeding 4-6% 2030 target range
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NovelabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Novelab collaborated with Givaudan's Fine Fragrance Marketing and Digital Innovation teams to develop Garden Makers, an immersive fragrance-inspired experience on Roblox platform, following the success of Guardians of Memories.
• Mars PetcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Givaudan participates in the 2026 Global Pet Food Innovation Program co-run by Big Idea Ventures and Mars Petcare, now in its third year. The program seeks startups developing alternative proteins, fats, oils, and novel ingredients for sustainable pet food. Selected companies receive $15,000 funding, expert guidance, and potential commercial partnerships.
• Big Idea VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Givaudan collaborates with Big Idea Ventures as part of the Next Generation Pet Food Program seeking startups for sustainable pet nutrition solutions including low-carbon materials, alternative proteins, fats, oils and novel ingredients.
• PepsiCocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026PepsiCo and Givaudan signed a 10-year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Statkraft for renewable wind energy from Spain. Givaudan serves as co-buyer alongside PepsiCo and Smurfit Westrock, enabling favorable commercial terms for renewable electricity access. The agreement aims to reduce approximately 32,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually and is part of PepsiCo's pep+ Renew program for supply chain decarbonization.
• StatkraftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Statkraft serves as the renewable energy provider for the VPPA with PepsiCo and Givaudan, providing wind energy from a repowered asset in Spain for European decarbonization efforts.
• Smurfit WestrockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Smurfit Westrock co-buys renewable energy with Givaudan through the VPPA with Statkraft and PepsiCo for European supply chain decarbonization.
• SE Advisory Services (Schneider Electric)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 April 2026Schneider Electric's consulting division helped aggregate renewable electricity demand across the three buyers (PepsiCo, Givaudan, Smurfit Westrock) for the VPPA.
• StatkraftcoreOthers · 28 April 2026Renewable energy producer providing wind power for the 10-year VPPA supporting European decarbonization across PepsiCo, Givaudan, and Smurfit Westrock operations.
• OriflamecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Swedish beauty brand Oriflame partnered with Givaudan to launch Top Scents, a collection of affordable niche fragrances featuring seven emerging perfumers selected from Givaudan's Perfumery School in France. First two fragrances (Top Scents Rose Mode and Top Scents Neon Oud) priced at £55/€60.
• Belle Aire CreationscoreOthers · 2 December 2025Givaudan acquired US-based fragrance company Belle Aire Creations to enhance presence in North America as part of 2030 strategy. Expected to add approximately CHF 65 million in sales in 2024.
• DDW, The Color HousecoreOthers · 9 December 2021Givaudan completed acquisition of US-based natural colour company DDW, The Color House as part of 2025 strategy. Deal reinforces Givaudan's position as second-largest global player in natural colours, adding approximately USD 140 million in incremental sales.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): IFF is the closest direct peer — a global B2B supplier of flavors, fragrances, and food ingredients serving the same CPG customers. The two companies compete head-to-head in fine fragrance, consumer products fragrance, and food flavors worldwide.
• Symrise: Symrise is a top-tier global F&F peer with the same B2B ingredient supplier model, serving food, beverage, personal care, and fine fragrance customers. Direct overlap in taste, scent, and cosmetic actives makes it one of Givaudan's most comparable competitors.
• DSM-Firmenich: Formed from the merger of DSM and Firmenich in 2023, DSM-Firmenich is a direct F&F peer combining nutrition/health ingredients with perfumery. Operates in the same B2B channels and serves the same multinational CPG customers as Givaudan.
• Mane: Mane is a privately held French F&F house with a global footprint in flavors and fragrances. It competes with Givaudan across fine fragrance, consumer products, and food flavors, particularly in Europe and emerging markets.
• Robertet: Robertet is a long-established French fragrance and flavor house with a strong position in natural ingredients. It directly overlaps with Givaudan's fine fragrance, consumer products, and natural aroma chemicals portfolios.
• Takasago International Corporation: Takasago is a Japanese-headquartered global F&F manufacturer with comparable B2B offerings in flavors and fragrances. It serves overlapping multinational CPG customers and competes directly in Asia Pacific and globally.

Emerging players

• Sensient Technologies: Sensient is a smaller, focused flavors, fragrances, and food colors specialist. While narrower in scale than Givaudan, it competes directly in natural colors (overlapping with Givaudan's DDW acquisition) and select flavor segments.
• Novonesis (Novozymes-Chr. Hansen): Novonesis is a global bio-ingredients leader (enzymes, cultures, probiotics) that overlaps with Givaudan's Active Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing health/wellness adjacencies. Ester Baiget (Novonesis CEO) is proposed as a new Givaudan board member, signaling strategic dialogue.

Broad incumbents

• Kerry Group: Kerry Group is a major taste and nutrition ingredients player with significant overlap in food and beverage flavors. It is a broader food-ingredients incumbent and competes with Givaudan's Taste & Wellbeing division in savory, dairy, and beverage applications.
• BASF (Care Chemicals & Nutrition division): BASF is a broad chemical-industry incumbent supplying personal care ingredients, aroma chemicals, and nutrition products. It overlaps with Givaudan's fragrance ingredients, cosmetic actives, and flavor precursors as a large, diversified supplier with a different scale economics profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/givaudan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/givaudaninternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/discovergivaudan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/givaudan
• Instagraminstagram.com/givaudan

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A22 records

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Givaudan