ICI has agreed to sell its flavours and fragrance business, Quest, to Givaudan for GBP1.2bn (US$2.3bn).

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The sale is subject to approval by ICI shareholders, regulatory approval and employee consultation. ICI said it hopes to close the deal during the first quarter of 2007.


In 2005, Quest posted sales of GBP560m and profits of GBP52m. The group is based in the Netherlands and has operations in the US, Asia and Europe.


Commenting on the sale, Quest chief executive Charles Knott said: “This is an outstanding opportunity for Quest, joining the highly creative, most respected and profitable business in our industry and the clear market leader. 


“The combined businesses provide a powerful innovation platform and we are delighted about the extra value we will be able to offer to you in the future. Through this deal we will be in a position to better leverage our joint capabilities in the areas of consumer and sensory understanding, technology and science.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact