Laura Spring

Citrus and Allied Essences Ltd

Citrus and Allied Essences Limited (C&A) is a leading global supplier of high quality flavor and fragrance ingredients, including exceptional orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, bergamot and clementine citrus oils. C&A is also known for sourcing and distilling mint oils and spice essential oils. The wide variety of ingredients available from C&A distinguishes the company as a "complete" supplier. C&A was launched in 1933 by Charles and Josephine Pisano whose son, Richard, carried on a company culture characterized by trust and tradition. Today, in the same spirit, Richard's five heirs continue to strive to provide customers with the highest quality essential oils and aroma chemicals – the virtual building blocks for natural flavors. In addition to a new 90,000 square foot facility located in Belcamp, Maryland, and an additional production facility in Abingdon, Maryland, C&A maintains warehouses in California, Elk Grove, IL, Mexico City and Rotterdam. C&A unceasingly searches for the world's finest essential oils to serve as starting materials for isolating valuable components. Once these sources are selected, C&A maintains the careful review of the cultivating, harvesting and production methods that were identified when these sources became part of C&A's worldwide resources. It is generally agreed that family owned and managed companies are different from their publically traded counterparts and that is the case of C&A. Unlike most large companies, C&A endeavors to keep substantial inventories. With harvest times for essential oil bearing crops taking place in different hemispheres throughout the year, C&A's strategic inventories support its own growth as well as the growth of its customers. Although C&A has increased its size and scope over the years, it has managed to retain the warmth, friendliness and accessibility that one associates with a family company. From that perspective, nothing has changed since 1933.