McCormick Cooking Up Major Food Deal, HQ Staying In Maryland

HUNT VALLEY, Md. — The Maryland company behind Old Bay seasoning is staying rooted in Hunt Valley after announcing a deal to combine with Unilever’s foods business, a move expected to create a larger global flavor company.

McCormick & Company announced on March 31 that it has entered into an agreement, while confirming its global headquarters will remain in Maryland. The company also plans to establish an international headquarters in the Netherlands to support research, development and global operations.

McCormick’s story began in Baltimore in 1889 when founder Willoughby McCormick started selling flavor extracts and syrups. The company survived the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, rebuilt and continued expanding into what is now the world’s largest spice company by revenue.

Today, McCormick products are sold in more than 150 countries, with its Maryland headquarters serving as the center of global operations.

McCormick has grown through acquisitions that expanded the company beyond spices into sauces and condiments.

The company said combining with Unilever’s food business would further strengthen its position across herbs, spices, condiments, sauces and cooking products.

For many Maryland residents, the company remains a source of local pride — a business that started in Baltimore and grew into a global name while remaining headquartered in the state.

Headquarters Staying In Maryland

McCormick Chairman, President and CEO Brendan Foley described the agreement as a major strategic step.

“This transformative combination accelerates McCormick’s strategy and reinforces our continued focus on flavor,” Foley said in the company announcement.

Foley added the companies are well positioned to grow together through complementary brands and global distribution.

Looking Ahead

Company officials say the combined business is expected to benefit from expanded global distribution, stronger foodservice operations and additional investment in product innovation.

If completed, the deal would mark another milestone in McCormick’s evolution from a small Baltimore spice business into one of the world’s leading flavor companies.

For many Marylanders, however, the company’s story still comes back to something simple — the familiar seasonings found in kitchens, restaurants and crab feasts across the region.

The transaction is expected to close by mid-2027 pending shareholder approval and regulatory review.

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