In the mid-1950s, commercial flavors for animals began as an industry market. A few people in the feed industry noticed that some feed additives, such as antibiotics, etc., which, while beneficial for the animal, were not palatable. As more additives began to be introduced and blended into the feed, the "law of diminishing returns." was observed in palatability. With variations in feed ingredients and additives, agricultural flavor became a significant opportunity in the United States and the world. The amount of molasses to mask or cover the taste of these additives was limited by volume. Therefore, another approach to palatability requires consideration.

There was modest growth in the Flavor Industry between the mid-1950s and 1970s, and three and later, four companies were producing Flavors for animal agriculture. Those growth years were met with some resistance from the nutrition departments of many feed manufacturers because there was no nutrition in the flavor compound. Some nutritionists even felt insulted by the flavor concept because they felt that customers and other feed companies might perceive their feed as inferior and that it needed a flavor for the animal to eat. Today, there are more than twenty companies producing flavors for Agriculture.