It all started with a simple plan in 1889 at a kitchen table when Josef Polak and Leopold Schwarz joined forces to create Pollak & Schwartz, a producer of fruit flavors and oil essences. It wasn’t long before this Netherlands-based start-up became the most important essence producer of the time in Europe. Soon after the start of World War II, circumstances led the brothers-in-laws to merge with Van Ameringen-Haebler, Inc. a U.S.-based company, headed by Arnold Louis (“A.L.”) van Ameringen, a former P&S employee. Focusing primarily on fragrances, van Amerigen-Haebler Inc. was a strong complement to P&S’s offerings.
From humble beginnings to a leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we’ve expanded over these past 135 years. However, we will always be the family that sits together at a table, imagining innovative ways to bring experiences to people around the world.
A.L. van Ameringen
From P&S salesman to IFF chairman
Visionary
A former employee, he brought P&S to America, charting IFF’s course of science & innovation and becoming the only large flavor & fragrance house in the U.S.
Businessman
In 1920s, he persuaded American soap manufacturers to add fragrances to products, revolutionizing the industry and deepening the relationship between scent and household products
Humanitarian
A mental health philanthropist, he established the van Ameringen Foundation in 1950 and was a benefactor to a number of organizations throughout his life
To catapult IFF into the future, van Ameringen guided the company into going public in October 1964. Soon afterwards he stepped down as president, choosing Henry “Hank” G. Walter, Jr. as his successor. The first one to buy IFF stock, Walter led IFF through exponential growth, moving deeper into global markets, leveraging a period of geographic and cultural discovery that fueled the flavors and fragrances business on a global scale. IFF expanded into creating flavors that delighted consumers in products ranging from cake mixes, gelatin desserts, and candies to pharmaceutical products, soft drinks and more.
Leading Breakthroughs
Innovations that that bring delight and ease to our world
Technology
Using a revolutionary process of inking with microencapsulation, IFF produced the first scent strips used in children’s “scratch-n-sniff” books
Creativity
Produced the first all-natural flavor ingredient on an industrial scale by pure culture, sterile fermentation
Bioscience
First successful commercialization of a protein-engineered laundry detergent enzyme, laying the groundwork for a whole new category of biotech products.
Leading with R&D
From the late 1960’s to the 1980’s, IFF soared to new heights, as the clear international leader in flavors and fragrances. The Company began investing heavily in research and development, a practice that would become its legacy. By the start of the 1970’s more than half of IFF sales would come from international markets. Throughout the decades, IFF continued to expand, deepening its roots in the regions and embracing local talent to direct the Company on fragrance and flavor trends that would delight a diverse array of consumers, worldwide.
From the Archives
Our Legacy Companies
We stand on the shoulders of giants. The combinations and mergers throughout our more than 135-year history have enhanced our ability to provide leading innovations to our customers and the market
Bush Boake Allen
Laboratoire Monique Remy
Otten Flavors
David Michael & Company
Frutarom
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences
