Press release

September 14, 2007
Symrise acquires Unilever Food Ingredients Business in UK

Flavor and fragrance manufacturer Symrise has acquired Unilever’s non branded food ingredients business in the UK. The food ingredients portfolio comprises dry seasonings and wet pastes. The turnover of this non core business for Unilever UK was 5m€ in 2006.

Located in Burton-on-Trent Unilever produces non branded flavorings to the fast growing chilled food categories as well as to the traditional culinary and snack food sectors. This is a Strategic focus area for Symrise and brings together a complementary customer base of existing and new accounts. With the acquisition Symrise further strengthens its savory business by adding additional competencies and final recipes. Furthermore Symrise achieves synergies by increased economies of scale in their own factories in Corby and Eye.

In 2006, Symrise launched its “taste for life®” program which has been successfully used to position itself in the market for flavors providing a “healthier taste.” These include flavorings derived from natural products as well as ones which allow customers to significantly reduce the sugar, salt or fat content in their final products.

“By acquiring the Unilever’s UK food ingredients business, we are consistently pursuing our strategy of offering consumers not only a flavor but also an added value, e.g. healthier taste or improved convenience,” says Heinrich Schaper, President Flavor & Nutrition Europe, Africa, Middle East. “Bringing Unilever’s UK ingredient business into the Symrise portfolio provides these customers with access to new technologies and development resources which should see the business accelerate its growth.”

Heinz-Juergen Bertram, Global President Flavor & Nutrition states: “This acquisition is another good example of how we are consistently improving competitiveness in order to better leverage growth potential. It also aligns our aims with that of one of our most important customers, Unilever, enabling them to continue to focus on building their branded business.”

About Symrise:
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavorings and raw materials and active ingredients for the perfume, cosmetics and food industry.

Its sales of €1.23 million in 2006 place the company among the top four companies in the international flavors and fragrances market. Headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, Symrise maintains a total of more than 31 sites in Europe, Asia, the United States and South America.

With approimately 50 registered patents each year, Symrise is one of the most innovative manufacturers on the market. Used by manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics and foods, our products are an inseparable part of daily life. At Symrise we combine an awareness of consumer trends with cutting-edge technologies, focusing on innovative fashion and lifestyle products that have additional practical value for the consumer. Symrise – always inspiring more…
 
www.symrise.com
 
Press inquiries:
red roses communications
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Kirchhoff Consult AG
Dr Kay Baden
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