McCormick & Company, Incorporated
Company History
McCormick History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1889 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
When was McCormick founded?
McCormick was founded in 1889 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States by Willoughby McCormick, making it 137 years old.
- Founded
- 1889
- Founding place
- Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Founders
- Willoughby McCormick
- Headquarters today
- Hunt Valley, Maryland, United States
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1889–2026)
- Current CEO
- Brendan M. Foley
- Acquisitions
- 14
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1889 | Founded in Baltimore |
| 1904 | Great Baltimore Fire |
| 1932 | Multiple Management |
| 1947 | A. Schilling and Company Acquired |
| 1990 | Old Bay acquired |
| 2003 | Zatarain's Acquired |
| 2008 | Lawry's acquired |
| 2017 | RB Foods acquired |
| 2020 | Cholula and FONA |
| 2023 | Brendan M. Foley becomes CEO |
| 2026 | Control of McCormick de Mexico |
| 2026 | Unilever Foods agreement |
- Where was McCormick founded?
- McCormick was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, United States in 1889. en.wikipedia.org
- Who founded McCormick?
- McCormick was founded by Willoughby McCormick.
- When did McCormick start?
- McCormick was founded in 1889.
- How old is McCormick?
- McCormick is 137 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Willoughby M. McCormick started the business in Baltimore in 1889, selling root beer extract, flavorings and fruit syrups before moving into spices and extracts. The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 destroyed the company's building, and McCormick rebuilt the business. His nephew Charles P. McCormick took over in 1932 and introduced the 'Multiple Management' system of junior employee boards, which became part of the company's identity.
Founders
Willoughby McCormick
Willoughby M. McCormick founded McCormick & Company in Baltimore in 1889, beginning with root beer extract, flavorings and fruit syrups sold door to door. He expanded into spices and extracts, rebuilt the business after the 1904 Great Baltimore Fire, and led the company until his death in 1932, when his nephew Charles P. McCormick became president. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Founded in Baltimore
Willoughby M. McCormick starts selling flavorings, extracts and syrups in Baltimore.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgGreat Baltimore Fire
The fire destroys the company's building; McCormick rebuilds and continues to grow.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMultiple Management
Charles P. McCormick becomes president and introduces junior employee boards, known as Multiple Management.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgA. Schilling and Company Acquired
McCormick bought the San Francisco spice company A. Schilling and Company in 1947, gaining coast-to-coast distribution.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgZatarain's Acquired
McCormick bought the New Orleans food brand Zatarain's in 2003 for about $180 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgLawry's acquired
McCormick buys Lawry's and Adolph's from Unilever for about $605 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRB Foods acquired
McCormick acquires Reckitt Benckiser's food business, including French's and Frank's RedHot, for about $4.2 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCholula and FONA
McCormick acquires Cholula for about $800 million and FONA International for about $710 million.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBrendan M. Foley becomes CEO
Brendan M. Foley became CEO of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in 2023. Foley became CEO in September 2023 after serving as President and COO, and later added the chairman role.
Source: prnewswire.comControl of McCormick de Mexico
McCormick raises its stake in McCormick de Mexico to 75% from Grupo Herdez for $750 million.
Source: prnewswire.comUnilever Foods agreement
McCormick agrees to combine with Unilever's foods business, creating a company with about $20 billion of combined FY2025 revenue.
Source: prnewswire.comMajor Acquisitions
Ben-Hur Products
1953McCormick acquired Ben-Hur Products in 1953.
Golden West Foods
1973McCormick acquired Golden West Foods in 1973.
Paterson Jenks
1984McCormick acquired Paterson Jenks in 1984.
Ducros of France
2000McCormick acquired Ducros of France in 2000.
Billy Bee Honey Products
2008McCormick acquired Billy Bee Honey Products in 2008.
Lawry's
2008Bought Lawry's and Adolph's seasonings and marinades from Unilever.
Kitchen Basics
2011McCormick acquired Kitchen Basics in 2011 for $38 million.
Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co
2013McCormick acquired Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co in 2013.
Enrico Giotti SpA
2016McCormick acquired Enrico Giotti SpA in 2016.
Reckitt Benckiser Food Division (French's, Frank's RedHot)
2017Added French's mustard and Frank's RedHot hot sauce, making McCormick a major U.S. condiment player.
FONA
2020Added FONA International clean-label sweet and beverage flavors to Flavor Solutions.
Cholula
2020Added the Cholula Mexican hot sauce brand, acquired from L Catterton.
McCormick de Mexico (additional 25%)
2026Raised ownership of the Mexican joint venture with Grupo Herdez from 50% to 75%, giving McCormick control and consolidating its results.
Unilever Foods (agreed, pending)
2026Agreed 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.
Keep researching McCormick
McCormick Company History FAQ
What are the major milestones in McCormick history?
Founding in Baltimore (1889), the Great Baltimore Fire (1904), Multiple Management (1932), Old Bay (1990), Ducros (2000), Zatarain's (2003), Lawry's (2008), RB Foods with French's and Frank's RedHot (2017), Cholula and FONA (2020), control of McCormick de Mexico (2026) and the Unilever Foods agreement (2026).
Where is McCormick headquartered?
McCormick is headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, where it opened its current global headquarters in 2018. Under the Unilever Foods deal, Hunt Valley would remain the global headquarters with an international headquarters in the Netherlands.
What is the McCormick Flavor Forecast?
Launched in 2000, the Flavor Forecast is an annual McCormick report that highlights emerging flavor trends for consumers and food companies.
How did McCormick survive the 1904 Baltimore fire?
The Great Baltimore Fire destroyed the company's building in February 1904; Willoughby McCormick rebuilt the business and continued to expand into spices and extracts.
How did McCormick start?
McCormick & Company was founded in 1889 in Baltimore, Maryland, by 25-year-old Willoughby M. McCormick. He started in a tiny cellar, making root beer extract and fruit syrups, selling them door-to-door under the "Bee Brand" name. In 1896, he made a highly strategic pivot, acquiring the F.G. Emmett Spice Company, launching the massive, multi-billion dollar spice and extract empire that completely dominates modern grocery aisles.
Related Strategic History
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