The Swiss-based flavor maker, which also has a plant in Carthage, said the project would increase employment at its Devon plant from 50 to 90 within two years.

The company plans to add nearly 91,000 square feet to the 40,000-square-foot plant at a cost of $14.4 million.

The project would expand production of its savory flavors business for the food services market.

The company, which plans to complete the expansion in early 2006, also plans to purchase $15.6 million worth of equipment and make another $1.9 million worth of improvements to the plant located east of Interstate 75 near Mt. Zion Road.

Givaudan Flavors is the North American flavor business of Givaudan SA, an international flavor and fragrance maker. The company acquired the former Cincinnati-based Tastemakers flavor business in 1997 and employs more than 700 people in the region.

Tastemakers traced its roots to Alex Fries Inc., the area's first flavor company.

Givaudan is the second local flavor company to announce plans for an expansion in Northern Kentucky this year.

In July, Wild Flavors Inc. in Erlanger secured a $2.5 million tax credit from Kentucky for a $15 million expansion that would add 68 jobs by acquiring a 215,000-square-foot building near its Erlanger plant.

The privately held German-based company, which employs 279 in Erlanger, added specialized processing capacity for its food and beverage customers.

---

E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com