McCormick de Mexico (additional 25%)
2026
$750M
Why
Raised ownership of the Mexican joint venture with Grupo Herdez from 50% to 75%, giving McCormick control and consolidating its results.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated
FlavorFounded 1889- HQ today: Hunt Valley, Maryland, United States
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026
Acquisitions
McCormick Acquisitions
14
Major Deals Covered
$7.1B
Disclosed Deal Value
What are McCormick's biggest acquisitions?
McCormick's largest disclosed acquisition here is Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot) for $4.2B in 2017. This page covers 14 major deals from 1953 to 2026, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
- Major deals covered
- 14
- Largest deal
- Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot) ($4.2B)
- First deal
- 1953
- Most recent
- 2026
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben-Hur Products | 1953 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Ben-Hur Products in 1953. |
| Golden West Foods | 1973 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Golden West Foods in 1973. |
| Paterson Jenks | 1984 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Paterson Jenks in 1984. |
| Ducros of France | 2000 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Ducros of France in 2000. |
| Billy Bee Honey Products | 2008 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Billy Bee Honey Products in 2008. |
| Lawry's | 2008 | $605.0M | Bought Lawry's and Adolph's seasonings and marinades from Unilever. |
| Kitchen Basics | 2011 | $38.0M | McCormick acquired Kitchen Basics in 2011 for $38 million. |
| Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co | 2013 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co in 2013. |
| Enrico Giotti SpA | 2016 | Undisclosed | McCormick acquired Enrico Giotti SpA in 2016. |
| Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot) | 2017 | $4.2B | Added French's mustard and Frank's RedHot hot sauce, making McCormick a major U.S. condiment player. |
| FONA | 2020 | $710.0M | Added FONA International clean-label sweet and beverage flavors to Flavor Solutions. |
| Cholula | 2020 | $800.0M | Added the Cholula Mexican hot sauce brand, acquired from L Catterton. |
| McCormick de Mexico (additional 25%) | 2026 | $750.0M | Raised ownership of the Mexican joint venture with Grupo Herdez from 50% to 75%, giving McCormick control and consolidating its results. |
| Unilever Foods (agreed, pending) | 2026 | Undisclosed | Agreed March 2026 to combine with Unilever Foods (Knorr, Hellmann's and other brands); Unilever would receive $15.7 billion in cash and Unilever and its shareholders 65% of the combined equity. Closing targeted around mid-2027. |
- What companies has McCormick bought?
- Major acquisitions by McCormick documented here include Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot) (2017), Cholula (2020), McCormick de Mexico (additional 25%) (2026), FONA (2020) and Lawry's (2008).
- What is McCormick's most recent acquisition?
- The most recent McCormick acquisition documented here is McCormick de Mexico (additional 25%), in 2026, for $750M.
Unilever Foods (agreed, pending)
2026
Why
Agreed March 2026 to combine with Unilever Foods (Knorr, Hellmann's and other brands); Unilever would receive $15.7 billion in cash and Unilever and its shareholders 65% of the combined equity. Closing targeted around mid-2027.
FONA
2020
$710M
Why
Added FONA International clean-label sweet and beverage flavors to Flavor Solutions.
Cholula
2020
$800M
Why
Added the Cholula Mexican hot sauce brand, acquired from L Catterton.
Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot)
2017
$4.2B
Why
Added French's mustard and Frank's RedHot hot sauce, making McCormick a major U.S. condiment player.
Enrico Giotti SpA
2016
Why
McCormick acquired Enrico Giotti SpA in 2016.
Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co
2013
Why
McCormick acquired Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co in 2013.
Kitchen Basics
2011
$38M
Why
McCormick acquired Kitchen Basics in 2011 for $38 million.
Billy Bee Honey Products
2008
Why
McCormick acquired Billy Bee Honey Products in 2008.
Lawry's
2008
$605M
Why
Bought Lawry's and Adolph's seasonings and marinades from Unilever.
Ducros of France
2000
Why
McCormick acquired Ducros of France in 2000.
Paterson Jenks
1984
Why
McCormick acquired Paterson Jenks in 1984.
Golden West Foods
1973
Why
McCormick acquired Golden West Foods in 1973.
Ben-Hur Products
1953
Why
McCormick acquired Ben-Hur Products in 1953.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated's Growth & Acquisition Strategy
McCormick's growth plan combines volume-led growth in core spices and condiments, expansion in hot sauce and global flavors, Flavor Solutions growth with large CPG customers, private label and fast-growing food brands, and acquisitions. The 2026 moves are the largest in its history: majority control of McCormick de Mexico and the agreed combination with Unilever Foods, which would add brands such as Knorr and Hellmann's.
How McCormick & Company, Incorporated Makes Money
McCormick makes money by selling flavor in two ways. The Consumer segment (roughly 57% of sales in FY2024) sells branded products such as McCormick spices, French's mustard, Frank's RedHot, Cholula, Lawry's, Old Bay, Zatarain's, Club House, Ducros, Schwartz and Kamis to retailers, plus private-label spices in some markets. Flavor Solutions (roughly 43%) sells seasonings, flavors and coatings to food and beverage manufacturers and foodservice customers, often formulated for a single customer product. Retail brands carry higher margins; Flavor Solutions adds volume, customer stickiness and technical scale.
McCormick Acquisitions FAQ
What was McCormick's RB Foods acquisition?
In 2017 McCormick bought Reckitt Benckiser's food business, including French's and Frank's RedHot, for about $4.2 billion.
How much did McCormick pay for Cholula?
About $800 million in 2020, from L Catterton.
How much did McCormick pay for FONA?
About $710 million in 2020.
When did McCormick buy Lawry's?
In 2008, from Unilever, for about $605 million.
What is the McCormick de Mexico deal?
In January 2026 McCormick paid $750 million for an additional 25% of McCormick de Mexico, raising its stake to 75%.
What is the Unilever Foods combination?
Agreed in March 2026, it would combine McCormick with Unilever Foods; Unilever would receive $15.7 billion in cash and Unilever and its shareholders 65% of the combined equity.
What companies has McCormick acquired?
McCormick executes massive, highly targeted acquisitions to dominate the "hot and spicy" macro-trend. After buying Frank's RedHot in 2017, they aggressively bought Cholula Hot Sauce in 2020 for a staggering $800 million. To further dominate the B2B sector, they bought FONA International for $710 million, acquiring elite chemical engineering capabilities to design massive, highly complex custom flavors for global beverage and snack companies.
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