Ray Estabrooks started his career as a biochemist over forty years ago in the food technology business. During that time, he had developed a vast array of products for many respected companies including Union Carbide, Carnation, Minute Maid, Miller Brewing and Vita Pak Citrus. In 1979, Ray retired from Vita Pak and founded Food Processing and Engineering, a consulting and product development company. In that same year, Food Processing and Engineering was hired to develop a product to enhance the flavor of reconstituted orange juice. Ray developed an all natural flavor additive, which was a special blend of recaptured oils and essences taken from freshly squeezed citrus. The product was appropriately named Orange-Mate. The introduction of Orange-Mate enhanced the flavor in orange juice so well that sales increased over fifty percent. This was quite the achievement since the citrus industry is very competitive. The food additive version of Orange-Mate still exists today and is used by major companies in a variety of orange juice products. Orange-Mate, when blended, permeates the air of the entire manufacturing facility. Since this fragrance is identical to an orange grove in blossom, the potential for an air freshener was easily recognized. In 1988, Ray’s son, Steve, joined him to develop and investigate the possibility of manufacturing an air freshener of this class. The first observation of Orange-Mate Mist was its unique physical properties. Unlike other air fresheners, Orange-Mate Mist was not just a cover-up type fragrance. Instead, it actually seemed to eliminate the offensive odor and, at the same time, leave a natural scent of freshly peeled oranges. At that point and time, the company knew it had a dynamic product. There was only one small but important problem, however. The cost factor of production was quite high when compared to the synthetic variety of air freshener. The question then became: Would the average consumer be willing to purchase an air freshener at an upscale price of $5.99? It was decided to hold off production due to the uncertainty of the market. It was not until one year later that it was discovered that other products of a similar nature were selling for a much higher price than the projected cost of Orange-Mate Mist. So, in 1989, realizing the potential for this remarkable product, Steve borrowed some money from Ray, and started what is now known as Orange-Mate, Inc. Since Steve had graduated from college with degrees in Wildlife Biology and Fisheries, he did not have the sales and marketing background that he really needed to start a company like this. As a result, sales were slow in the beginning and it was only through trial and error and Steve’s perseverance that the business developed. Growth did occur, however, and after many years of working out of his garage, the business had become so large that the company had to move into a larger facility. With extra space then available, Orange-Mate, Inc. was able to develop new products and increase its sales dramatically. The expanded air freshener line currently includes four fragrances, as well as glass and surface cleaners and an all purpose cleaner. Product development is still a favorite of Steve’s. Orange-Mate Mist and our other products are sold to a variety of industries including beauty supply, health food, commercial food, janitorial supply, medical supply, fitness centers, mail order catalogs and industrial supply. Our products are also available in retail outlets such as grocery and department stores and internet sites.
				Orange-Mate Mist, Lime Mate Mist and Lemon Mate Mist are manufactured from high concentrations of natural citrus peel oils. Citrus oils and aromas are generally the major by-products of citrus processing and are used in a variety of maketed products. There are approximately eight types of oils and aromas commonly manufactured from citrus. Their characteristics, standards and uses vary among the types and grades. The citrus oils used in Orange-Mate products are of the highest quality available. We select high quality citrus for one reason: to provide the consumer a high quality and dependable product. Orange-Mate Mist products work at eliminating odors because they contain the unique physical properties of essential oils. The recovery of these is a complex issue and need not be explained except to say that these oils are distilled and highly concentrated. The concentration of Orange-Mate Mist averages ten oranges per ounce of product. Thus a 7oz. container holds the concentration and eliminating powers of seventy oranges. The essential oils in Orange-Mate Mist products possess the ability to attack and absorb odors. This ability is carried out in several steps: 1. When the product is released into the atmosphere in a gas form such as depressing the actuator on the container, citrus ions (active electrical charges) are released. These ions are attracted to other suspended particles, i.e. odors. 2. Citrus ions are very active electrically and search for bonding with another ion to form a compound. In essence the citrus ions search out and attack odor. 3. Once the compound is formed, the citrus in the compound absorbs the odor due to a process called oxidation.  Oxidation in citrus occurs very rapidly when exposed to the atmosphere.  It is very important not to release the product until desired because oxidation results into decomposition and spoils. For these reasons, we use a hermitcally sealed container which protects our products from spoiling because it is suspended in air-tight conditions.