Mother Murphy’s Celebrates its 80th Anniversary

Kermit Murphy Sr., co-founder of Mother Murphy’s

Pete Murphy, co-founder of Mother Murphy’s

Mother Murphy's Celebrates 80 Years of Flavor Innovation and Family Tradition

From a small Greensboro storefront to a global flavor house, the family-owned business continues its legacy of innovation and quality.

Greensboro, NC – January 1, 2025

Mother Murphy’s began with a simple idea in 1946: to create flavors that enhance food. Today, the company proudly celebrates 80 years of crafting high-quality flavors for food and beverages.

What started in a tiny back room in Greensboro, North Carolina, has evolved into a multigenerational flavor house renowned for its craftsmanship, consistency, and genuine dedication to its customers. The company remains grounded in the same values that shaped its early days: family, flavor, and a commitment to service.

Al Murphy, CEO of Mother Murphy’s

While much has changed since 1946, the mission behind Mother Murphy’s remains steadfast: to create exceptional flavors and build lasting partnerships.

“We make memories through flavors,” says Al Murphy.

“Our flavors are part of everyday life experiences—think back to childhood and those impressions.” The company prioritizes integrity, hands-on collaboration, and a dedication to the craft of flavor creation. Whether working with global food brands or local bakeries, Mother Murphy’s blends technical expertise with the warmth of a family business. Their team of flavorists, scientists, and customer service professionals is committed to helping customers bring their ideas to life, one flavor at a time.

What truly sets Mother Murphy’s apart is the culture that has carried the company from its humble beginnings to modern success. The team operates with the same hands-on approach that defined their early days—listening closely, tailoring solutions, and treating each project as a partnership rather than a transaction. This philosophy has allowed the business to retain its small-company responsiveness while delivering big-company capabilities.

Mother Murphy’s is a family-owned and operated flavor house based in Greensboro, NC. Founded in 1946, the company specializes in creating high-quality flavor solutions for the food and beverage industry, including extracts, emulsions, liquids, powders, and custom formulations. For eight decades, the company has remained committed to integrity, collaboration, and creating flavors that inspire.

Morgan Murphy, President of Mother Murphy’s

Kermit Murphy Sr. and Dr. Richard Stelling begin developing and selling food flavoring in the Ponoma area of Greensboro, N.C. Murphy sold their flavoring to local bakeries.

1946

1947

Murphy convinces 14 investors to help him set up Southern Laboratories. Stelling decides to focus on his medical practice, so Murphy recruits a veteran chemist to continue to build the company’s flavor library.

Southern Laboratories moves to a larger building and secures $56,000 worth of business. Around this time, the company begins supplying its fruit-flavored bases to the military for use in beverages.

1949

1954

Southern Laboratories introduces its first vanilla flavoring, a category that will become the company’s main focus for many years.

Southern Laboratories changes its name to Mother Murphy’s Laboratories, Inc.

1955

1958

Kermit’s brother, L.M. “Pete” Murphy joins the company.

Mother Murphy’s expands its offerings to include sweet flavorings and begins producing products for the food and beverage industries.

1960s

1965

The Murphy brothers design and build a new facility on South Elm Street to house Mother Murphy’s. It has served as the company’s main production facility and corporate headquarters ever since.

The company begins offering flavorings for the dairy industry.

1970s

1990s

Mother Murphy’s extends its offerings to most sectors of the flavorings market.

Mother Murphy’s opens a commercial baking test facility in Dallas.

1994

2011

Mother Murphy’s opens a 93,000-square-foot distribution center less than a mile from its corporate headquarters.

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Help Mother Murphy's create a sample just for you! Describe the custom flavor sample that you want to build and select the features that will accelerate your next creation.

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