Jacob Glueck, a flavor chemist who created and founded Citromax S.A.C.I., died on March 27, 2013. He was 89.
Well-known in the flavor and fragrance industry, Glueck was also a Talmudic scholar, a Jewish communal leader, a supporter of Jewish education, and a benefactor to many Jewish institutions and causes. He received an honorary degree from Yeshiva University and was awarded the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary's highest honor, the Eitz Chaim Award.
A native of Hungary and a Holocaust survivor, Glueck learned the flavor and fragrance business in Europe from his father. He immigrated to the U.S. and began his career in the flavor industry working at Felton International, and then moved to Fritzsche Bros. which later became Fritzsche Dodge and Olcott. In the 1960s, living in Argentina while working for Fritzsche, he recognized the opportunity to grow lemons in Argentina and produce his own lemon oil rather than buying it from another source. Soon after, Glueck assumed management of U.S. flavor house Citroil Enterprises and Fritzsche SAICA, an Argentine company devoted to the creation and manufacture of flavors and fragrances for industrial application.
In 1964, Glueck eventually created and founded Citromax S.A.C.I., a company focused on producing lemons as well as juices and oils. Citromax, which his daughter Vivian runs today, has expanded its production facility both in Tucuman, Argentina, as well as its U.S. headquarters which reflects Glueck’s roots and his passion for flavor development.
