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Bell Flavors & Fragrances is an American multinational manufacturer of flavors, fragrances, botanicals and ingredients, privately owned by the Heinz family. It was founded in 1912 as the William M. Bell Company in Chicago, Illinois.[1] The founder had previously been a flavor chemist with Kraft Foods in their confectionery and caramel division. In the early years, Bell sold his flavors to local shops and candy companies.[2]
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Early years
In 1912, Bell Flavors & Fragrances began as the William M. Bell Company founded in Chicago, Illinois. In the early years, William M. Bell sold his flavors to local ice cream parlors, grocery stores, and soda pop shops.[3]
50's -60's
In 1959, FEMA (Flavor Extract Manufacturing Association), led by Edward N. Heinz, took its first steps to establish the FEMA GRAS Program.[4]
In 1960 the FEMA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) program launches and would serve as the primary body for the safety evaluation of food flavorings for the flavor industry, and the public through its GRAS assessment of flavoring substances.[5]
In 1968, Edward N. Heinz decided to leave his job at Food Materials and purchase his own company, The Wm. M. Bell Company from Theonett & Co. The Wm. M. Bell Company stayed in the Grand Avenue plant and leased office and manufacturing space from Theonett & Co. At the time of the purchase, Wm. M. Bell Co. had two employees, Mr. Harold Mathews and Ms. Anne Erlandson.[6]
70's - 80's
By 1974, Bell moved its operation to Melrose Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Bell rented a 30,000 square foot office and plant located at 3312 Bloomingdale Avenue. A year later Bell is featured in the Chicago Tribune for the chemistry side of the flavor business.[7]
The following year in 1976, Bell made its first acquisition, Maumee Flavors & Fragrances, located in Danbury, Connecticut. Maumee developed a line of standard flavors and fragrances and also manufactured primary ingredients in the Anthranilate group (Methyl Anthranilate; Dimethyl Anthranilate; Ethyl Anthranilate) – key ingredients in creating berry and grape flavors. Bell moved the manufacturing of Maumee to its Melrose Park, Illinois plant, but kept some sales offices and labs on the East Coast.[8]
In 1979, the Wm. Bell Company changed its name to Bell Flavors & Fragrances after Bell acquired a fragrance company in Chicago, Illinois, called Roubechez, Inc. This company specialized in developing and selling fragrances to the candle, soap, detergent and household care industries. Bell moved Roubechez, Inc. into their Melrose Park plant with the additional rental of 30,000 square feet of space in a separate building adjacent to its existing building. Edward Heinz receives the Distinguished Associate Award as the President of the NCA (National Confectioners’ Association) at the 1979 NCA/AACT Convention.[9]
In 1984 Bell consolidated the Synfleur R&D facility in Paramus, New Jersey into its existing R&D facility in North brook, Illinois. In 1985, Bell acquired American Brosynthetics Corporation located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. American Brosynthetics was the only domestic producer of Helotropin, a primary ingredient used by the flavor and fragrance industry. This was Bell’s first main entry into the ingredient side of the flavor and fragrance industry.[10]
Also, in 1985, Bell acquired a California flavor, fragrance and ingredient manufacturer called Ritter Company. Ritter was known for its manufacturing of butter derivatives, primarily butter acids and butter esters. In 1987, Mr. Edward N. Heinz passed away, but his sons continue the business.[11]
90's-Present
In 1993, Bell privatized the operations of Schimmel & Company in Leipzig, Germany. This company, originally founded in 1829, is considered to be the founding flavor and fragrance company in the world. This facility is home to the Schimmel Library, the oldest chemical library in the world. A year later, Bell purchases manufacturing plant from PFW-Hercules. This modern, 100,000 square foot plant, located in Middletown, New York, serves as Bell’s manufacturing for fragrances and botanicals, servicing their North American customers.[12]
1995 Bell expands by acquiring the flavor company, Naturome, located in Brossard, Canada, a suburb of Montreal. The company was owned by John Haffaden and a few other employees. Naturome specialized in R&D research in flavors for beverages and dairy products (yogurts). This division is now called Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Canada. Bell also starts a flavor and fragrance business in Hong Kong to supply flavors and fragrances to China as well as the Asia Pacific countries. In the late 1990s to 2001, Bell opens offices in Russia, Poland, UK, France and Ukraine.[13]
Edward N. Heinz, formerly Flavors Extract Manufacturing Association, purchased the William M. Bell Company in 1967. The business expanded to include fragrances and aromatic chemicals with the acquisition of Maumee Flavors and Fragrances, a division of Sherwin Williams Company in 1976,[14] and in 1979, the niche fragrance house Roubechez which specialized in fragrances for cleaning and household care products.
In 1993, the company acquired the operations of Schimmel & Company, a well known Leipzig fragrance manufacturer originally founded in 1829.[14]
In 1985 Bell acquired American Bio-Synthetics, at the time the only US producer of Heliotropin and many other specialty aroma chemicals. This facility was based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became home to Bell's vastly expanding ingredients business, now headquartered in Middletown, New York. The company also acquired Naturome in Brossard/Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a specialist in natural flavors and botanical extracts for the beverage, dairy, & yogurt industries.
In 2005, Bell opened a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China.
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