Remarkably, we delivered an 8% sales increase versus last year and 17% versus 2019.
Total third quarter sales grew 8% from the year-ago period or 5% in constant currency.
Adjusted operating income was comparable to the third quarter of last year, including a 3% favorable impact from currency.
On the bottom line, our third quarter adjusted earnings per share was $0.80 compared to $0.76 in the year-ago period, driven by higher sales and a lower tax rate, partially offset by cost pressures.
Sales and adjusted operating income are up 13% and 9% year-over-year respectively, both of which include a 3% favorable impact from currency and we've grown adjusted earnings per share of 8%.
Year-to-date versus 2019, we've driven sales, adjusted operating income and adjusted earnings-per-share growth of nearly 20% across all three metrics.
Starting on Slide 7, Consumer segment sales grew 1%, including a 2% favorable impact from currency and incremental sales from our Cholula acquisition compared to the highly elevated demand levels of the year-ago period.
Our Americas constant currency sales declined 1% in the first quarter, with incremental sales from our Cholula acquisition contributing 3% growth.
Our total McCormick U.S. branded portfolio consumption as indicated in our IRI consumption data and combined with unmeasured channels declined 10% following a 31% consumption increase in the third quarter of 2020, which results in a 19% increase on a two-year basis.
Focusing further on our U.S. branded portfolio, our 19% consumption growth versus the third quarter of 2019 was led by double-digit growth in spices and seasonings, hot sauces, both Cholula and Frank's RedHot, and barbecue sauce, as well as our Asian frozen product.
And turning up the heat, Frank's RedHot has grown consumption 75% and had gained a significant share versus the two year-ago period.
This was a dream opportunity for the over 5,000 applicants to showcase their Taco expertise and enthusiasm for our product and their video application.
To date, we have garnered over 1 billion earned impressions related to our search, and these will continue to grow upon the announcement of our new Director of Taco Relations next week, on October 4th, in celebration of National Taco Day.
In the Americas, we drove new passionate users to our brands and digital properties with the launch of Sunshine All Purpose Seasoning, a new product developed in partnership with social media influencer Tabitha Brown, inspired by her joyful personality and health and wellness focused recipes, the salt-free and gluten-free Caribbean inspired blend sold out in just 39 minutes, generating record sales from e-commerce driven innovation and over 700 million earned impressions.
For instance, increasing Cholula velocity over 30% or changing the tile [Phonetic] placement at a large retailer, to reinventing the spice and seasoning of shopping experience.
In the U.S., we are anticipating a cumulative implementation of our spice aisle [Phonetic] program, so it began in 2020 at 10,000 stores by year-end versus 2019 to remove year over year noise, sales in the beginning of August show retailers that have adopted the spice aisle changes are growing the category faster than those who have not, and McCormick branded spices and seasoning portfolio is growing solid mid-single digits faster in implemented stores versus stores which have not the adopted the changes.
Turning to Slide 9, our Flavor Solutions segment grew 21% or 17% in constant currency, reflecting both strong base business growth and contributions from our FONA and Cholula acquisition.
Year-to-date versus 2019, we delivered 13% constant currency growth, including FONA and Cholula and 6% constant currency organic growth.
Just a few days ago, we were named as a global compact lead company by the United Nations for our ongoing commitment to the UN Global Compact and its 10 principles for responsible business.
We are honored by this recognition for our commitment to sustainability and to be one of only 37 companies in the world and the only U.S.-based food producer to be included on this prestigious list.
In addition, Latina Style, Inc. recently named us as one of the top 50 best companies for Latinos to work in the U.S.
We grew constant currency sales 5% during the third quarter compared to last year with incremental sales from our Cholula and FONA acquisitions contributing 4% across both segments.
Versus the third quarter of 2019, we grew sales 15% in constant currency with both segments growing double-digits.
Versus 2020, our third quarter Consumer segment sales declined 1% in constant currency, which includes a 3% increase from the Cholula acquisition.
Compared to the third quarter of 2019, Consumer segment sales grew 14% in constant currency.
On Slide 14, Consumer segment sales in the Americas declined 1% in constant currency, lapping the elevated lockdown demand in the year-ago period, as well as the logistics challenges Lawrence mentioned earlier.
Incremental sales from the Cholula acquisition contributed 3% growth.
Compared to the third quarter of 2019, sales increased 17% in constant currency, led by significant growth in the McCormick, Lawry's, Grill Mates, Old Bay, Frank's RedHot, Cholula, Zatarain's, Gourmet Garden, Simply Asia, Stubb's and [Indecipherable] branded products, that's a lot of brands, partially offset by a decline in private label.
In EMEA, constant currency consumer sales declined 11% from a year-ago, also due to lapping the high demand across the region last year.
On a two-year basis, sales increased 10% in constant currency, driven by strong growth in our Kamis, Schwartz, and Frank's RedHot branded products.
Consumer sales in the Asia Pacific region increased 11% in constant currency due to the recovery of branded foodservice sales with a partial offset from the decline in consumer demand as compared to the elevated levels in the year-ago period.
Sales increased 4% compared to the third quarter of 2019, including a sales decline in India, resulting from a slower COVID-19 recovery.
Turning to our Flavor Solutions segment and Slide 17, we grew third quarter constant currency sales 17%, including an 8% increase from our FONA and Cholula acquisitions.
Compared to the third quarter of 2019, Flavor Solutions segment sales grew 16% in constant currency.
In the Americas, Flavor Solutions constant currency sales grew 19% year-over-year with FONA and Cholula contributing 12%.
On a two-year basis, sales increased 15% in constant currency versus 2019, with higher sales from acquisitions and packaged food and beverage companies, partially offset by the exit of some lower margin business.
In EMEA, constant currency sales grew 19% compared to last year due to increased sales to QSRs and branded foodservice customers, as well as continued growth momentum with packaged food and beverage companies.
Constant currency sales increased 23% versus the third quarter of 2019, driven by strong sales growth with packaged food and beverage companies and QSR customers.
In the Asia Pacific region, Flavor Solutions sales rose 1% in constant currency versus last year and increased 8% in constant currency versus the third quarter of 2019, was driven by QSR growth and partially impacted by the timing of our customers limited time offers and promotional activities.
As seen on Slide 21, adjusted operating income, which excludes transaction and integration costs related to the Cholula and FONA acquisitions as well as special charges, was comparable to the third quarter of last year, including a 3% favorable impact from currency.
Adjusted operating income in the Consumer segment declined 10% to $180 million or in constant currency 12%, driven by the cost pressures from inflation and logistics challenges, partially offset by CCI-led cost savings.
In the Flavor Solutions segment, adjusted operating income rose 32% to $84 million or 27% in constant currency.
During the quarter, we invested in brand marketing ahead of last year and notably we have increased our investments 11% on a year-to-date basis.
As seen on Slide 22, adjusted gross profit margin declined 260 basis points, driven primarily by the cost pressures we are experiencing and the lag in pricing.
Our selling, general and administrative expense as a percentage of sales declined 110 basis points, driven by leverage from sales growth.
These impacts netted to an adjusted operating margin declined 150 basis points.
Our third quarter adjusted effective tax rate was 14.1% compared to 19.3% in the year-ago period.
Adjusted income from unconsolidated operations declined 5% versus the third quarter of 2020.
At the bottom line, as shown on Slide 25, third quarter 2021 adjusted earnings per share was $0.80 compared to $0.76 for the year-ago period.
As compared to the third quarter of 2019, our 10% increase in adjusted earnings per share was primarily driven by sales growth.
Through the third quarter of 2021, our cash flow from operations was $373 million, which is lower than the same period last year.
Through the third quarter, we returned $272 million of this cash to our shareholders through dividends and used $190 million for capital expenditures.
Now turning to our 2021 financial outlook on Slides 27 and 28.
We continue to expect an estimated 3 percentage point favorable impact of currency rates on sales.
And for the adjusted operating income and adjusted earnings per share, a 2 percentage point favorable impact with currency rates.
At the topline, due to our strong year-to-date results and robust operating momentum, we now expect to grow constant currency sales 9% to 10%, which is the high end of our previous projection of 8% to 10%, and includes a 40% incremental impact from the Cholula and FONA acquisitions.
We had initially projected an incremental acquisition impact in the range of 3.5% to 4%.
We're now projecting our 2021 adjusted gross profit margin to be 150 basis points to 170 basis points lower than 2020 due to the increase in cost pressures I mentioned earlier.
Our estimate for COVID-19 costs remains unchanged at $60 million in 2021 versus $50 million in 2020, and is weighted to the first half of the year.
Our adjusted operating income growth rate reflects expected strong underlying performance from our base business and acquisitions projected to be 8% to 10% constant currency growth, which includes the higher inflation ahead of pricing and logistics challenges and partially offset by a 1% reduction from increased COVID-19 costs compared to 2020 and a 3% reduction from the estimated incremental ERP investment.
This results in a total projected adjusted operating income growth rate of 4% to 6% in constant currency.
This projection includes the mid-single digit inflationary pressure as well as our CCI-led cost savings target of approximately $110 million.
Considering the year-to-date impact from discrete items, we now project our 2021 adjusted effective income tax rate to be approximately 21% as compared to our previous projection of 23%.
This outlook versus our 2020 adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be a headwind to our 2021 adjusted earnings-per-share growth of approximately 1%.
We are lowering our 2021 adjusted earnings per share expectations to 5% to 7% growth, which includes a favorable impact from currency.
Our guidance range for adjusted earnings per share in 2021 is now $2.97 to $3.02.
This compares to $2.83 of adjusted earnings per share in 2020 and represents 8% to 10% growth in constant currency from our strong base business and acquisition performance, partially offset by the impacts related to COVID-19 costs, our incremental ERP investment and the tax headwind.

Summary:
Remarkably, we delivered an 8% sales increase versus last year and 17% versus 2019.
Total third quarter sales grew 8% from the year-ago period or 5% in constant currency.
On the bottom line, our third quarter adjusted earnings per share was $0.80 compared to $0.76 in the year-ago period, driven by higher sales and a lower tax rate, partially offset by cost pressures.
Sales and adjusted operating income are up 13% and 9% year-over-year respectively, both of which include a 3% favorable impact from currency and we've grown adjusted earnings per share of 8%.
Starting on Slide 7, Consumer segment sales grew 1%, including a 2% favorable impact from currency and incremental sales from our Cholula acquisition compared to the highly elevated demand levels of the year-ago period.
Year-to-date versus 2019, we delivered 13% constant currency growth, including FONA and Cholula and 6% constant currency organic growth.
Turning to our Flavor Solutions segment and Slide 17, we grew third quarter constant currency sales 17%, including an 8% increase from our FONA and Cholula acquisitions.
In the Asia Pacific region, Flavor Solutions sales rose 1% in constant currency versus last year and increased 8% in constant currency versus the third quarter of 2019, was driven by QSR growth and partially impacted by the timing of our customers limited time offers and promotional activities.
At the bottom line, as shown on Slide 25, third quarter 2021 adjusted earnings per share was $0.80 compared to $0.76 for the year-ago period.
At the topline, due to our strong year-to-date results and robust operating momentum, we now expect to grow constant currency sales 9% to 10%, which is the high end of our previous projection of 8% to 10%, and includes a 40% incremental impact from the Cholula and FONA acquisitions.
Our adjusted operating income growth rate reflects expected strong underlying performance from our base business and acquisitions projected to be 8% to 10% constant currency growth, which includes the higher inflation ahead of pricing and logistics challenges and partially offset by a 1% reduction from increased COVID-19 costs compared to 2020 and a 3% reduction from the estimated incremental ERP investment.
Our guidance range for adjusted earnings per share in 2021 is now $2.97 to $3.02.
This compares to $2.83 of adjusted earnings per share in 2020 and represents 8% to 10% growth in constant currency from our strong base business and acquisition performance, partially offset by the impacts related to COVID-19 costs, our incremental ERP investment and the tax headwind.