Bell Flavors & Fragrances is an American multinational manufacturer of flavors; fragrances; botanicals and ingredients. Bell is privately held by the Heinz family. Bell Flavors & Fragrances was founded in 1912, as the William M. Bell Company in Chicago, Illinois. 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.
History
Early Years
In 1912, Bell Flavors & Fragrances began as the William M. Bell Company founded in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Bell’s flavors were considered innovative for the flavor industry in the 1900s. His previous education as a flavor chemist in confections gave him a great understanding of flavors, but it was his creative nature that captured his customers’ tastes. In the early years, William M. Bell sold his creative flavors to local ice cream parlors, grocery stores, and soda pop shops.
In 1930, the William M. Bell Company’s flavors became so demanding Bell had to expand. His first manufacturing facility was on West Grand Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The location proved to be ideal, as Chicago quickly became the “Candy Capital of the World.” Today there is no “Candy Capital of the World,” but Chicago still ranks high in productivity in the confectionery market, as well as other food and beverage markets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bell purchases the flavor division of the Stepan Chemical Company in 1981 and moved its headquarters into a new manufacturing plant located at 500 Academy Drive, Northbrook, Illinois. This location is Bell’s Corporate Headquarters today. Bell’s acquisition of Stepan also included Fries & Bro. Founded in 1845, Fries & Bro. was the premier tobacco flavor company within the flavor industry. 2 years later Bell acquired Nestles flavor and fragrance division known as Synfleur. This acquisition acquired two additional manufacturing plants for Bell in White Lake, New York and Montecello, New York, as well as an R&D Center in Paramus, New Jersey. The Synfleur acquisition also led to them supplying Johnson & Johnson their baby powder fragrance for over 100 years. Synfleur also supplied Nestle with many of its flavors for beverages, confections, savory and dairy products.