D.D. Williamson

DDW, The Color House
Founded1865; 160 years ago (1865)
FounderDouw Ditmars Williamson
Headquarters
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
ProductsFood coloring
ParentGivaudan
WebsiteDD Williamson

DDW, The Color House (D.D. Williamson) was a global, privately held corporation providing caramel color, burnt sugar and natural colorings for the food and beverage industry, before being acquired in 2021 by Givaudan.[1] In 1865, Dutch immigrant Douw Ditmars Williamson founded D.D. Williamson in New York to manufacture burnt sugars for the brewing industry.[2] The caramel industry moved into coloring cola and many other foods following Prohibition and the Great Depression.[3]

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, DDW had nine manufacturing sites for naturally derived coloring on five continents with customers in 100 countries.[4] DDW's first international manufacturing facility was founded in Little Island, Cork.[5]

Beverages containing naturally derived food coloring

In 2013, DD Williamson acquired Dupont's Danisco line of natural coloring in yellow, orange and brown hues.[6]

In April 2003, an explosion at the Louisville plant exploded killing one operator and releasing 26,000 pounds of aqua ammonia.[7] In November 2024, the Givaudan Sense Color (formerly D.D. Williamson) factory in Louisville exploded, killing two people.[8]

References

  1. ^ Jacobs, Megan (8 December 2021). "Acquisition Complete: DDW Joins Givaudan - Givaudan Sense Colour". Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ Wolfe, Bill (3 April 2008). "Williamson shares recipe for success". The Courier-Journal. Louisville: Gannett.
  3. ^ Kamuf, William; Nixon, Alexander; Parker, Owen (2000), "Caramel Color", in Lauro, Gabriel J.; Francis, F. Jack (eds.), Natural Food Colorants, IFT Basic Symposium Series, vol. 5, New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., pp. 253–272, ISBN 0-8247-0421-5
  4. ^ "Locations". D.D. Williamson. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  5. ^ Cadogan, Stephen (2003-11-27). "D D Williamson serve up 25 years of ingredients". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  6. ^ "DDW Acquires DUPONT™ DANISCO® Food Colorings" (Press release). DD Williamson. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  7. ^ "D.D. Williamson & Co. Catastrophic Vessel Failure". www.csb.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  8. ^ "2 dead in plant explosion in Louisville's Clifton area that damaged homes, businesses". WDRB. 2024-11-13. Retrieved 2024-11-13.


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