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.
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. This type of manufacturing uses a very unique and sophisticated reaction process to isolate the butter acids and butter esters directly from butter. These butter acids and butter esters are sold to all flavor manufacturers throughout the world to be used as ingredients in butter and cheese flavors.
Ritter also was the largest domestic manufacturer of Yucca and Quillaia. These products are extracted from Yucca trees and bark of Quillaia trees respectively. The Yucca and Quillaia extracts are sold to most beverage manufacturers throughout the World. The Yucca and Quillaia extracts are natural foaming products used in root beers and other beverages.