Givaudan completes acquisition of DDW, The Color House

Aligned with its 2025 strategy to expand the portfolio of its global Taste & Wellbeing business, Givaudan today announced it has completed the acquisition of DDW, the Color House, a US based natural colour company. The acquisition enables Givaudan to become the number two global player in natural colours.  

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, DDW is a leading privately-held company in the natural colour industry, with 12 manufacturing facilities around the world and 315 associates. Founded in 1865, the company has developed a strong market position from its origins in the brewing industry through its market leading capabilities in caramel colours and for the last 20 years having a strong focus on natural colours for the food and beverage industry.  

“Today is an exciting day as we welcome DDW associates to the Givaudan family. The acquisition of DDW further strengthens our leadership position in the colour business globally. We are confident that our complementary portfolio and capabilities will deliver a compelling valuable proposition to our customers across segments and in key markets, enabling us to co-create multisensorial food experiences consumers love”. 

Louie D’Amico, President of Givaudan's Taste & Wellbeing

 
“We are thrilled to begin this new chapter as a part of Givaudan,” said DDW’s CEO and President Elaine Gravatte. “Our associates and our customers will quickly experience the benefits as we combine our strengths and capabilities. We look forward to exploring many new opportunities for growth and success in the natural colour market.

The terms of the deal have not been disclosed and Givaudan debt funded the transaction. DDW’s business would have represented approximately USD 140 million of incremental sales to Givaudan’s results in 2020 on a proforma basis. 

About Givaudan
Givaudan is a global leading company in taste and wellbeing, and fragrance and beauty. With its heritage stretching back over 250 years, the Company has a long history of innovating scents and tastes. From a favourite drink to your daily meal, from prestige perfumes to cosmetics and laundry care, its creations inspire emotions and delight millions of consumers the world over. The Company is committed to driving purpose-led, long-term growth while leading the way to improve happiness and health for people and nature. In the fiscal year 2020, the Company employed almost 16,000 people worldwide and achieved sales of CHF 6.3 billion and a free cash flow of 12.8% of sales. Let’s imagine together on www.givaudan.com.

About Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing 
Powered by innovation and creativity, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing aims to shape the future of food by becoming the co-creation partner of choice to its customers. Built on its global leadership position in flavours and taste, the Company goes beyond to create food experiences that do good and feel good, for body, mind and planet. With an expanded portfolio of products across flavours, taste, functional and nutritional solutions and a deep knowledge of the food ecosystem, Givaudan’s passion is to collaborate with customers and partners to develop game changing innovations in food and beverage. Let’s imagine together the future of food. Learn more at www.givaudan.com/taste-wellbeing.

About DDW, the Color House
DDW is a privately owned company with its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Founded in New York in 1865, DDW initially provided malt for brewing companies before developing caramel colours for the soft drink market and over the last 20 years adding a strong suite of capabilities in natural colours for the food industry, becoming one of the world’s leading colour companies. DDW operates 12 natural colour and caramel colour facilities around the world, including the US, UK, Ireland, Brazil, Eswatini, Malaysia and China. DDW has 315 employees. 
www.ddwcolor.com

For further information please contact
Pierre Bénaich, Givaudan Media and Investor Relations
T +41 22 780 9053    
E pierre.benaich@givaudan.com

Ingrid Janson, Taste & Wellbeing Communications
T +1 786 602 4337    
E ingrid.janson@givaudan.com