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05/2026

CVC takes majority stake in IFF FOOD INGREDIENTS

UNITED STATES Food Processing / Ingredients EV 3b - 100b USD

Context

Global specialty chemicals leader International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has entered into a definitive agreement to divest its Food Ingredients division to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. As part of this corporate carve-out, IFF will roll over an approximate 10% minority equity stake in the newly independent business. This transaction structure ensures continued operational collaboration and technological cooperation between the two entities while allowing the seller's shareholders to participate in future value creation under the sponsor's ownership. The deal execution was supported by an advisory syndicate featuring Citibank and the law firm White & Case. For the seller IFF, led by CEO Erik Fyrwald, this divestiture marks a major strategic milestone in its ongoing portfolio optimization initiative. The transaction enables the company to sharpen its operational focus and reallocate capital toward its higher-growth, innovation-driven core segments: Taste, Scent, and Health & Biosciences. The resulting streamlined profile will significantly improve IFF's cash flow characteristics and accelerate its strategic R&D investments. For the acquirer CVC Capital Partners, the buyout secures control of a globally recognized leader in texturants, emulsifiers, and plant-based solutions. The sponsor intends to leverage the asset's broad technology portfolio and scale to capture long-term macro growth trends, including rising global food consumption and the accelerating consumer demand for clean-label products.

IFF FOOD INGREDIENTS, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2025, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, representing a LOGIN to the average currently observed in the AgriFood sector (10.8x).

Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.

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Target

IFF is a global leader in the development of flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and bioscience solutions. Historically, the company's core business has focused on creating flavors and fragrances for the food and beverage, and cosmetic industries. Food ingredients are a key component of its portfolio, featuring products such as texture modifiers, emulsifiers, and plant-based solutions. The company's products are utilized by multinational clients across the food and beverage sectors, and IFF maintains a significant geographic presence, with operations spanning multiple countries. To drive innovation, IFF has invested heavily in research and development, aiming to deliver cutting-edge solutions to its customers. Furthermore, the company has established strategic partnerships to enhance its market position and competitiveness in key markets.

Ent. Value

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4300M USD

Equity Value

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Multiples

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EV / Revenue

1.4x

EV / EBITDA

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EV / EBIT

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Historical Financials (USD)

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Year
Rev
EBITDA
EBIT
2025
3100M
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2024
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REFERENCES

Valuation range: EV 3b - 100b USD

Revenue range: 2.5b - 5b USD

EBITDA range: 250M - 500M USD

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of IFF FOOD INGREDIENTS by CVC are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).

Press release: view release

Acquirer: cvc