McCormick & Co posted a bigger quarterly profit as the top U.S. spicemaker was able to offset high input costs by raising prices, and saw strong demand in Asia and in its domestic market.

Sparks, Maryland-based McCormick, which began operations in 1889 in Baltimore, sells spices, herbs, seasoning blends and sauces to grocers, warehouse clubs as well as discount and drug stores.

The company, which has beaten earnings expectations for five straight quarters now, earned $76.8 million, or 57 cents a share, ahead of Wall Street expectations of 54 cents a share.

Sales rose more than 2 percent to $782.8 million in December-February, but fell short of estimates.

Sales at its consumer division, which constitute sales through retailers, rose 3 percent in Americas and 11 percent in the Asia/Pacific, but were down 10 percent in Europe and in the Middle East.

McCormick, which sells its products under the Lawry's and Old Bay labels besides its namesake brand, backed its 2011 earnings outlook of $2.80-$2.85 a share and sales growth of 5-7 percent.

Shares of the company closed at $49.61 on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.

(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Renju Jose in Bangalore; Editing by Don Sebastian)