
Timeline 1768-2021
From our historic roots in Grasse to the present day, Givaudan’s over 250-year journey has been marked by milestones in invention and acquisition, creativity, passion and innovation.
In 2021, Custom Essence, Myrissi, DDW The Color House and 25% of b.kolor make up & skin care join Givaudan.
Alderys joins Givaudan in 2020.
Seven companies join Givaudan: the cosmetics business of AMSilk, Albert Vieille, Fragrance Oils, Golden Frog, the cosmetics business of Indena, drom fragrances and Ungerer.
Naturex joins Givaudan together with Centroflora Nutra and Expressions Parfumées.
Activ International and Vika join Givaudan.
Spicetec joins Givaudan.
Acquisition of Induchem.
Soliance joins Givaudan.
Acquisition of Quest International, enabling Givaudan to become the undisputed leader in flavours and fragrances.
Acquisition of International Bioflavors Inc. (IBF), a US fermentation technology company.
Acquisition of FIS, the flavour
division of Nestlé.
The ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants List’ is launched, later to include celebrated chefs from Givaudan’s Chef’s Council.
Givaudan-Roure splits from Hoffmann-LaRoche and changes its name to Givaudan SA, which is listed on the Six Swiss Exchange.
Givaudan launches TasteTrek® to explore a world of flavours.
Acquisition of US flavours company Tastemaker, making Givaudan-Roure the world’s largest flavours organisation.
Givaudan-Roure wins first Fragrance Foundations FiFi® Technological Breakthrough Award with ScentTrek®.
Givaudan invests in Asia and expands in high growth markets.
Givaudan and Roure merge under Hoffmann-LaRoche.
Xavier Givaudan, aged 97, sells the business to Hoffmann-LaRoche.
Givaudan expands to Latin America.
Givaudan enters the flavours business with the acquisition of Esrolko SA.
Ernest Guenther, a chemist at Fritzsche, Dodge & Olcott publishes The Essential Oils, still a standard of trade today.
Establishes an olfactory apprenticeship, later leading to our world-renowned Perfumery School.
‘Shocking’ is one of the first designer fragrances created by perfumers from Roure-Bertrand.
Givaudan and others pioneer synthetic fragrance ingredients and promotes use of fragrances in consumer products.
First use of chemical transformation to obtain flavours.
Fries & Fries develop a method for flavours in powder form.
Roure’s work with ‘absolutes’ to extract floral essences wins the Grand Prize at the Universal Exhibition of Paris.
Léon and Xavier Givaudan embark on a rich journey with the founding of Givaudan in Zürich, Switzerland.
Kurt Oestreich and Westfälische Essenzenfabrik are founded and herald the birth of the flavours industry.
Claude Roure establishes Roure-Bertrand & Fils providing aromatic plants and essential oils such as jasmine and rose.
Dodge & Olcott began importing and selling essential oils as cookery gets more elaborate.
Antoine Chiris enters the world of fragrances by harvesting flora and fauna.
Discover fascinating moments from our ongoing odyssey to enrich the world of scents and taste.