Profile: McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC.N)

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (McCormick) is a diversified specialty food company and manufactures, markets and distributes flavor products, including spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings and flavorings, and other specialty food products to the entire food industry. The Company’s major sales, distribution and production facilities are located in North America and Europe. Additional facilities are located in Central America, Australia, China, Singapore, Thailand and South Africa. In February 2008, the Company acquired Billy Bee Honey Products Ltd. On July 31, 2008, the Company completed its previously announced purchase from Conopco, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Unilever N.V.

The Company operates in two business segments: consumer and industrial. The consumer segment sells spices, herbs, extracts, seasoning blends, sauces, marinades and specialty foods to the consumer food market under a variety of brands worldwide, including McCormick, Zatarain’s, Simply Asia, Thai Kitchen, Ducros, Vahine, Silvo, Club House, Billy Bee and Schwartz. The industrial segment sells seasoning blends, natural spices and herbs, wet flavors, coating systems and compound flavors to food manufacturers and the food service industry, both directly and indirectly through distributors.

The Company’s products are sold directly to customers and also through brokers, wholesalers and distributors. In the consumer segment, products are resold to consumers through retail outlets, including grocery, mass merchandise, warehouse clubs, discount and drug stores under a variety of brands. In the industrial segment, products are used by food and beverage manufacturers as ingredients for their finished goods and by food service customers as ingredients for menu items. Customers for the industrial segment include food manufacturers and the food service industry, which are supplied both directly and indirectly through distributors.