Swiss flavors and fragrances group Givaudan announced on Wednesday the start of construction of a $215 million (€185 million) plant in the United States.
Givaudan
Located in Reading, near Cincinnati, Ohio, the new plant will strengthen the group’s presence in North America, where its food-industry division already operates 17 sites across the United States and Canada, the company said in a press release.
“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, quoted in the release, which made no mention of US tariffs.
The administration of Donald Trump aims, through tariffs, to encourage companies to build factories and produce on American soil.
The group said the project will ultimately create 300 jobs. The plant will occupy 24,000 square meters within a reserved area of over 100,000 square meters, allowing for future expansion. Construction is scheduled to take 18 months.
North America is “a mature market” but still offers “vast growth opportunities for Givaudan,” said Arben Hasanaj, an analyst at Vontobel, in a market note.
Givaudan’s activities are split between a division dedicated to fragrances, which includes fine fragrances, ingredients for beauty products, and scents for hygiene products and detergents, and a division specializing in flavors for the food industry.
Last year, the Geneva-based group generated 23% of its sales in North America, where it competes notably with US company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF).
Givaudan is scheduled to publish its nine-month sales figures on October 14. Across all markets, its 2024 sales totaled 7.4 billion Swiss francs (approximately €7.9 billion at current exchange rates).
Givaudan is among the Swiss groups with a strong presence in the United States, but it relies on a broad catalog of natural ingredients, such as vanilla, which must be imported from abroad.
When it published its first-half results, the group stated that it had implemented price increases to offset the higher costs expected from US tariffs.
Zurich, Oct. 8, 2025 (AFP)
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The demerger of Unilever‘s ice cream division, to be named ‘The Magnum Ice Cream Company,’ which had been delayed in recent months by the US government shutdown, will finally go ahead on Saturday, the British group announced.
Reuters
Unilever said in a statement on Friday that the admission of the new entity’s shares to listing and trading in Amsterdam, London, and New York, as well as the commencement of trading… is expected to take place on Monday, December 8.
The longest federal government shutdown in US history, from October 1 to November 12, fully or partially affected many parts of the federal government, including the securities regulator, after weeks without an agreement between Donald Trump‘s Republicans and the Democratic opposition.
Unilever, which had previously aimed to complete the demerger by mid-November, warned in October that the US securities regulator (SEC) was “not in a position to declare effective” the registration of the new company’s shares. However, the group said it was “determined to implement in 2025” the separation of a division that also includes the Ben & Jerry’s and Cornetto brands, and which will have its primary listing in Amsterdam.
“The registration statement” for the shares in the US “became effective on Thursday, December 4,” Unilever said in its statement. Known for Dove soaps, Axe deodorants and Knorr soups, the group reported a slight decline in third-quarter sales at the end of October, but beat market expectations.
Under pressure from investors, including the activist fund Trian of US billionaire Nelson Peltz, to improve performance, the group last year unveiled a strategic plan to focus on 30 power brands. It then announced the demerger of its ice cream division and, to boost margins, launched a cost-saving plan involving 7,500 job cuts, nearly 6% of the workforce. Unilever’s shares on the London Stock Exchange were steady on Friday shortly after the market opened, at 4,429 pence.
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Burberry has named a new chief operating and supply chain officer as well as a new chief customer officer. They’re both key roles at the recovering luxury giant and both are being promoted from within.
Matteo Calonaci becomes chief operating and supply chain officer, moving from his role as senior vice-president of strategy and transformation at the firm.
In his new role, he’ll be oversee supply chain and planning, strategy and transformation, and data and analytics. He succeeds Klaus Bierbrauer, who’s currently Burberry supply chain and industrial officer. Bierbrauer will be leaving the company following its winter show and a transition period.
Matteo Calonaci – Burberry
Meanwhile, Johnattan Leon steps up as chief customer officer. He’s currently currently Burberry’s senior vice-president of commercial and chief of staff. In his new role he’ll be leading Burberry’s customer, client engagement, customer service and retail excellence teams, while also overseeing its digital, outlet and commercial operations.
Both Calonaci and Leon will join the executive committee, reporting to Company CEO Joshua Schulman.
JohnattanLeon – Burberry
Schulman said of the two execs that the appointments “reflect the exceptional talent and leadership we have at Burberry. Both Matteo and Johnattan have been instrumental in strengthening our focus on executional excellence and elevating our customer experience. Their deep understanding of our business, our people, and our customers gives me full confidence that their leadership will help drive [our strategy] Burberry Forward”.
Traditional and occasion wear designer Puneet Gupta has stepped into the world of fine jewellery with the launch of ‘Deco Luméaura,’ a collection designed to blend heritage and contemporary aesthetics while taking inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of Ladakh.
Hints of Ladakh’s heritage can be seen in this sculptural evening bag – Puneet Gupta
“For me, Deco Luméaura is an exploration of transformation- of material, of story, of self,” said Puneet Gupta in a press release. “True luxury isn’t perfect; it is intentional. Every piece is crafted to be lived with and passed on.”
The jewellery collection features cocktail rings, bangles, chokers, necklaces, and statement evening bags made in recycled brass and finished with 24 carat gold. The stones used have been kept natural to highlight their imperfect and unique forms and each piece in the collection has been hammered, polished, and engraved by hand.
An eclectic mix of jewels from the collection – Puneet Gupta
Designed to function as wearable art pieces, the colourful jewellery echoes the geometry of Art Deco while incorporating distinctly South Asian imagery such as camels, butterflies, and tassels. Gupta divides his time between his stores in Hyderabad and Delhi and aims to bring Indian artistry to a global audience while crafting a dialogue between designer and artisan.