French Color & Fragrance was founded in 1974 to fill a void in the industry for candle development expertise.
Peter’s deep expertise, coupled with his eagerness to roll up his sleeves and work alongside clients in the lab, became so in demand that it led him to build FCF.
Our company’s collaborative approach was inspired by Peter’s partnership-focused style. Today, we continue in this tradition of seeing ourselves as an extension of our clients’ business.
Our authentic & unique roots are also reflected in the charm and heritage of the historic buildings that make up our Creative and R&D Center in Englewood, NJ.
At FCF, we have a love of character. A few of our offices are housed in a historic building that we call ‘The Stone House’, a former home built in 1730 with a fascinating heritage
- Site of the 1776 retreat route during the Revolutionary War.
- George Washington is believed to have slept here.
- Used in the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. A hidden room with a trap door still exists.
One of our Application Labs is housed in a stable built in the early 1800’s.
1974
Peter French founded French Color & Fragrance.
1970’s-1980’s
Worked to build:
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A distinctive company unlike any other in the industry.
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Technology in Fragrance, Color & Additives under one roof to help perfect our partners’ products.
1990
Introduced FCF’s innovative liquid dye technology to improve burn performance in candles.
1995
Redesigned fragrance chemistry for combustion in candles.
1996
Introduced the first UV light & stabilization systems to the candle industry.
2003
Opened office and laboratory in Shanghai.
2005
Created the industry leading Unisorb™ line to address the challenges of natural waxes and blends.
2008
Developed the industry’s first fully reach compliant liquid colorants - EcoReach™.
2012
Extended Fragrance Innovation offerings with new trend-right applications.
2016
Opened solar powered fragrance manufacturing plant in Germany.
2019
Received the National Candle Association Hall of Fame award.
2022
Expanded new laboratory & manufacturing facility in Shanghai.
2023
Launched Innovation Lab in Englewood, NJ Headquarters.
2023
Launched functional & sustainable fragrance collections.
2024
Celebrating the company’s 50th Anniversary.