tries and territories around the world. As of 2016,
it operated principal manufacturing facilities in 11
countries; in addition to distribution and warehouse
space at those plants, McCormick also leases regional
distribution centers in the United States, Canada, and
France, and has arrangements for additional manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution space as
needed worldwide.
Historically, procurement of spices and herbs, and
later sugar and other ingredients, was handled at
the company’s headquarters in Maryland. Over the
years, as McCormick acquired other companies and
expanded its U.S. domestic and international busi-
ness, “procurement evolved in almost the same way
as the manufacturing model ... there was a time when
the process was at the factory level, and each area had
its own purchasing group,” says Donald Pratt, man-
aging director, global ingredients. “It was very inef-
ficient, and they were not aggregating their spend.”
a strategy that allows managers to focus on one cate- P H O
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