CVC takes majority stake in IFF FOOD INGREDIENTS
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
FREE VIEW4300M 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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REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV 3b - 100b USD
Revenue range: 2.5b - 5b USD
EBITDA range: 250M - 500M USD
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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