What Bontoux does

Bontoux is a France-headquartered producer of essential oils and natural aromatic raw materials founded in 1898 in Saint-Auban-sur-l'Ouvèze. Its core technology centers on the sourcing, extraction, distillation, R&D, and quality analysis of natural essential oils and plant-based ingredients, with documented expertise in furocoumarin removal that preserves organic certification status, genetic traceability of bitter almond essential oil supply chains (published in Perfumer & Flavorist, April 2021), and toll manufacturing of bespoke aromatic raw materials. The product portfolio spans essential oils (bergamot, lavender, citrus, ylang, clary sage, olibanum, cinnamon, geranium, bitter almond, bitter orange), concentrated natural extracts (vanilla oleoresin, blackcurrant bud absolute, coffee absolute, distillates), an herbalism department, and toll manufacturing services for clients requiring custom production. The group owns nine wholly-owned operating entities across France, the United States, India, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Madagascar and Spain, including the Bontoux Organics US subsidiary (created 2013) for organic essential oil distribution in North America, and GUEDANT (acquired June 2018 with a €2.5M industrial investment in 2020) for organic and conventional natural plant extracts.

Bontoux's business model is enterprise B2B distribution of specialty natural aromatic ingredients, sold via quote-based pricing for bulk orders with no publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase contracts with manufacturers across five verticals: perfumery/fragrance (primary), food and beverage (primary), pharmaceutical/parapharmaceutical, cosmetics, and aromatherapy. The go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales teams, regional offices, regular participation in international trade shows (FIE, In-Cosmetics, SIMPPAR, FAFAI, FIC, WPC, SupplySide West, HI Japan), and exclusive source partnerships such as the 2019 Calabria bergamot agreement with Azienda Agricola Patea. The company is a privately held family business led by Rémy Bontoux (Founder, Chairman & President), with no evidence of external private equity or venture capital control.

The firm's differentiation rests on a layered set of third-party certifications (ECOCERT, FSSC 22000 since 2020 with herbalism extension in 2022, ISO 14001 since January 2023, USDA NOP, CCOF), an EcoVadis Gold Medal sustainability recognition, UN Global Compact membership since 2018, and a Gender Equality Index score of 99/100 for 2025. The customer base is unstated in the input (no named logos provided), and pricing/contract terms are not publicly disclosed. Bontoux is described as serving customers across all five continents through its regional offices and direct sales teams.

Name

Bontoux

Legal name

BONTOUX SAS

Website

https://bontoux.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bontoux is a France-based, 1898-founded family producer of essential oils and natural aromatic raw materials, supplying perfumery, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and aromatherapy manufacturers worldwide through a wholly-owned distribution network across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-auban-sur-l'ouveze

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Essential oils and natural aromatic ingredients: Bontoux generates revenue through the production and sale of essential oils and natural aromatic raw materials to B2B customers in perfumery, food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and aromatherapy industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bontoux is a B2B manufacturer and supplier of natural essential oils and aromatic raw materials, including bergamot, lavender, citrus oils, vanilla extracts, distillates, and herbalism products. Products are sold in bulk to enterprise customers in the perfumery, food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and aromatherapy industries. The company also offers toll manufacturing (custom production) and operates an organic-certified product line through its Bontoux Organics subsidiary.

Product overview

Bontoux is an international supplier of natural aromatic ingredients, producing essential oils and natural extracts since 1898 in Haute Provence, France. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio centered on its core essential oils business (including bergamot, lavender, citrus, and specialty oils), supported by its Bontoux Organics subsidiary for North American organic distribution, and the GUEDANT subsidiary for organic and conventional natural plant extracts. Additional offerings include a herbalism department, custom/toll manufacturing services, and distillates and infusions. Products serve the perfumery, food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and aromatherapy industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bontoux Organics: Distributor of organic essential oils in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Certified as a handler under USDA NOP standards and by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Offers over 150 essential oils.

Products and services

• Essential Oils

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Azienda Agricola PateacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2019Exclusive partnership established in June 2019 for certified organic bergamot sourcing from Calabria, Italy. Azienda Agricola Patea, recognized since 2007 for excellence in sourcing and production, provides extraction capacity to supply high-quality certified organic bergamot essential oil exclusively to Bontoux. Bontoux provides distribution, quality assurance, and expertise in furocoumarin removal while preserving organic status.
• GUEDANTcoreOthers · 1 June 2018GUEDANT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bontoux group since June 2018. Located in Poigny, France (department 77), GUEDANT invests 2.5M EUR in its industrial production site to become a key player in organic and conventional natural plant extracts. Specialized in flavor natural ingredients including fruit-based ingredients, complementing Bontoux's product portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Robertet: French family-owned flavor and fragrance company producing natural raw materials, essential oils, and ingredients for perfumery, food, and cosmetics. Like Bontoux, it pairs heritage sourcing with global distribution and serves overlapping B2B customers in F&F.
• Mane: French family-owned F&F house that develops natural ingredients, flavors, and fragrances across perfumery, food, and cosmetics. Directly comparable in business model (vertically integrated natural ingredient producer with global reach) and customer base.
• Albert Vieille: France-based specialist in natural aromatic raw materials for perfumery, aromatherapy, and cosmetics. Closely matches Bontoux's core focus on essential oils and natural botanical extracts for the fragrance industry.
• Biolandes: French producer of natural aromatic raw materials and essential oils sourced from plants globally, serving perfumery, food, and aromatherapy. Directly comparable as a natural ingredient supplier with similar sourcing and certification posture.

Broad incumbents

• Givaudan: Swiss global leader in flavors and fragrances with extensive natural and synthetic ingredient portfolios across all Bontoux's served end-markets. Operates at much larger scale but overlaps on natural ingredient sourcing and supply to F&F customers.
• Symrise: German F&F major with broad ingredient portfolios including Diana (natural flavors) and cosmetic ingredients. Overlaps with Bontoux in food and personal care ingredient supply, though at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): US-listed F&F giant producing natural extracts, flavors, and fragrances for food, beverage, and personal care. Comparable as a global B2B ingredient supplier across all of Bontoux's served segments.
• Sensient Technologies: US specialty ingredients supplier producing natural and synthetic flavors, fragrances, and colors for food and personal care. Comparable as a B2B ingredient manufacturer, though with broader categories and greater scale.
• Takasago International Corporation: Japanese F&F company producing flavors, fragrances, and aroma chemicals globally, including natural ingredients. Comparable to Bontoux in supplying essential oils and natural aromatic ingredients to perfumery and food customers, with strong APAC presence.

Emerging players

• Döhler: German natural ingredients, flavors, and ingredient systems provider for food, beverages, and nutrition. Comparable as a B2B natural ingredient specialist with overlapping applications in food flavoring and clean-label formulations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bontoux1898
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bontoux-s-a-
• Instagraminstagram.com/bontoux1898

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bontoux