Givaudan buys more natural ingredients

Swiss flavor and fragrance maker Givaudan has agreed to acquire Naturex, a maker of natural food, nutrition, and personal care ingredients, for about $1.6 billion. Naturex, which is based in Avignon, France, had sales of $502 million in 2017, employs 1,700 people, and operates 16 production sites globally. Givaudan says the acquisition will boost its portfolio of plant extracts and natural ingredients. The firm has made other natural ingredient acquisitions in the past few years, including Spicetec and Activ International, both in the U.S., and Brazil-based Centroflora Nutra.