North American facilities excel with top scores, reinforcing commitment to superior safety and quality assurance standards for flavor ingredients
NORTHBROOK, Illinois – Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. (Bell) proudly announces the company’s successful completion of its annual SQF Food Safety Program Audit, conducted by the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Institute, across all North American facilities.
This past year, the highest possible ‘Excellent’ ratings were achieved by three of four locations, including its global headquarters in Northbrook, IL (96/100) in addition to Middletown, NY (96/100), and Guadalajara, Mexico (100/100). Just shy of ‘Excellent,’ its Brossard, Canada facility secured a ‘Good’ rating of 92/100.
“The SQF scheme recognized under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is widely known across the food industry as one of the highest standards in food safety. Our exceptional ratings are a true testament to our unwavering commitment to food safety and quality. Bell’s collaborative, cross-functional efforts have contributed to our growth and positively impacted the programs that keep products safe for our customers,” exclaims Martha Herrera, Quality Assurance Project Improvement Manager at Bell’s global headquarters.
The SQF Food Safety Program is a “rigorous and credible food safety and quality program geared towards businesses looking to satisfy their retailers’ and buyers’ GFSI requirements. Their program includes 13 codes that are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements from all sectors of the food supply chain. These codes provide sites with a HACCP-based approach to ensure that their products meet food safety requirements.” (SQF Institute, 2025)
Bell actively participated in the unannounced, three-day SQF Food Safety Program audit, covering key categories of focus such as food quality, employee training, product identification and traceability, allergen management and more as part of the Food Ingredient Manufacturing scope of certification. Bell follows the Approved Supplier Program with specific guidelines and requirements established by the SQF Institute, assuring consistent and safe production of products and services to strategic partners.
View the high-level results from Bell’s North American SQF Food Safety Program audits:
• Northbrook, IL
• MIddletown, NY
• Guadalajara, Mexico
• Brossard, Canada
For more on Bell Flavors & Fragrances, visit www.bellff.com or follow Bell Flavors & Fragrances on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
For media requests please contact Kelli Heinz, Vice President of Marketing & Industry Affairs.