Beverages
The Beginning
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.
Southern Laboratories
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 On The Move
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.
Introducing Vanilla
Southern Laboratories introduces its first vanilla flavoring, a category that will become the company’s main focus for many years.
Mother Murphy’s Laboratories, Inc.
Southern Laboratories changes its name to Mother Murphy’s Laboratories, Inc.
Pete Murphys Joins The Company
Kermit’s brother, L.M. “Pete” Murphy joins the company.
Food & Beverage Products Enter the Mix
Mother Murphy’s expands its offerings to include sweet flavorings and begins producing products for the food and beverage industries.
Mother Murphy’s Based on South Elm Street
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 Dairy Industry Arrives
The company begins offering flavorings for the dairy industry.
Broadening Flavor Horizons
Mother Murphy’s extends its offerings to most sectors of the flavorings market.
