Firmenich

Firmenich is the largest privately-owned company in the perfume and flavor business, and is a major supplier to multinational consumer goods companies, including the food & beverage and cosmetics industries among many others. The company, which is still 100% family-owned, was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1895. Today it employs more than 6,000 people, and turned over nearly US$3bn in the year ending June 2011. In addition to vanilla, the company is investing in sustainable sourcing initiatives for a number of other key high-value ingredients in its supply chain.