Swiss flavors and fragrances group Givaudan has begun construction of a $215 million (€185 million) manufacturing plant in Reading, near Cincinnati, Ohio, marking one of its largest investments in the United States in recent years.
According to the company, the new facility will strengthen Givaudan’s footprint in North America, where its food-industry division already operates 17 sites across the U.S. and Canada. The plant will cover 24,000 square meters within a 100,000-square-meter site, leaving ample room for future expansion. Construction is expected to take 18 months and will eventually create 300 jobs.
“This new site represents our largest investment in the United States for many years, demonstrating the importance of this market for Givaudan,” said CEO Gilles Andrier in a statement.
The move aligns with efforts by the U.S. administration to encourage companies to build and manufacture domestically. While the company made no mention of tariffs, Givaudan has previously said it raised prices to offset higher costs linked to U.S. trade policies.
North America accounted for 23% of Givaudan’s 2024 sales, which totaled 7.4 billion Swiss francs (€7.9 billion) globally. Despite being a mature region, the market still presents “vast growth opportunities,” noted Vontobel analyst Arben Hasanaj.
Givaudan operates two key divisions—Fragrance & Beauty, which includes fine fragrances, cosmetic ingredients, and scents for hygiene products, and Taste & Wellbeing, focused on food and beverage flavoring. The Ohio investment reinforces Givaudan’s long-term strategy to expand its production capacity in key regions and support continued demand across North America.
