Back in 1995, the idea for FLAVORx came when a man desperately searched for a way to make it easier for his daughter to take her much-needed seizure medication. Because of the medicine's terrible taste, the little girl struggled to take it, which led to multiple hospital visits and a stressed and worried family. The man and his pharmacist father worked to develop flavors that masked the taste of medicine, appealed to kids, and didn't affect the medication's efficacy.
30 years later, FLAVORx continues to help children around the country take their medicine. Plus much, much more. Our automation technology helps pharmacies fill prescriptions efficiently and safely, FLAVORx for Pets makes medication-time less stressful for pets and their owners, and our FillPure division ensures businesses of all kinds have access to clean, high-quality water. As we look back at how far we've come, we're excited for all that the next few decades hold!
Flavor Kit/Recipe Binder - 1995
The original way to flavor was pretty bare bones, but it got the job done! Pharmacists had at their disposal a few flavors, droppers, and a large formulary binder. The formulary binder was packed with flavoring recipes for hundreds of medications. Backed by years of testing, the recipes made it possible for pharmacy professionals to custom flavor medicines to fit every kid's taste.
FLAVORx for Pets - 1997
Not long after the creation of the FLAVORx Pediatric System, we realized that children weren't the only ones who had trouble taking medicine. Medicating pets can be notoriously difficult, and FLAVORx saw a way to help. With the creation of the FLAVORx for Pets System, pharmacies and vet practices could now use tasty flavors like Crispy Bacon and Grilled Tuna to make medicine-time less stressful for both pets and their owners.
Fillmaster 3400 - 1999
While the FLAVORx Pediatric System made a huge difference in children's medication adherence, the process of flavoring still had a lot of room for improvement. Another company, Fillmaster Systems, specialized in purified water dispensers, and years later CEO Stu Amos saw the potential of a relationship with FLAVORx. The Fillmaster 3400 dispenser made the reconstitution process quicker by dispensing a measured amount of purified water into the medication. With the merge of Fillmaster and FLAVORx in 2007, the process of fully automating flavoring had begun.
Online Formulary - 2008
In another step towards speeding up the flavoring process, FLAVORx said goodbye to the giant recipe binder and introduced the Online Formulary. The Formulary made it possible for pharmacy professionals to quickly search for a medication's flavoring recipe online. The pharmacist simply had to enter the medication's name, volume, and the patient's desired flavor and the site instantly generated a custom flavoring recipe.
Pill Glide - 2009
While FLAVORx had previously focused on liquid medicine, Pill Glide made it easier for people of all ages to take pills and capsules. Pill Glide is a flavored, lubricating throat spray designed to alleviate the discomfort many children and adults experience when swallowing pills.
Fillmaster Plus - 2010
After FLAVORx and Fillmaster Systems merged, the Fillmaster Plus was the first purified water dispenser to integrate flavoring. The Plus revolutionized flavoring by partially automating the process. Automated reconstitution and a built-in recipe database made the flavoring process much more efficient.
FillPure - 2015
As the Fillmaster side of our business continued to provide reverse osmosis filtration systems for a growing number of pharmacies around the country, we realized the need to offer a reliable maintenance solution. RO systems require an annual filter change to function properly, and FillPure gave pharmacies the option to let the experts handle it. Pharmacies with a FillPure plan receive an annual visit from a trained technician who performs all of the preventative maintenance needed to keep the system producing a continuous supply of clean water.
Fillmaster Pro - 2016
The Fillmaster Pro took the function of the Fillmaster Plus and upgraded it with a sleek, user-friendly design. The Pro quickly became an indispensable tool in the pharmacy.
Fillmaster Auto - 2017
The Fillmaster Auto is the culmination of over 20 years of work to completely automate the reconstitution and flavoring process. Adding a favorite flavor is now as easy as scanning a barcode and pressing a button. Since its introduction, the Auto has become a beloved feature behind the counter for thousands of pharmacies across the country.
6-Stage RO System - 2019
As access to clean water for reconstitution became a growing concer for pharmacies, we improved our reverse osmosis system with two additional stages of filtration. The deionizing filter (DI) takes the water that has passed through the first four stages of filtration and polishes it further to remove the remaining conductivity down to 1.3 μS. The resin beads in the DI filter attract the positively and negatively charged ions in the water and trap them, leaving only pure water able to pass though the filter. The Zerobac filter is a .02-micron ultrafiltration membrane designed to catch any debris or bacteria before the water is dispensed.
Fillmaster 4000 - 2024
The 4000 takes Fillmaster's long trusted reconstitution technology and updates it with a design and capabilities that fit today's pharmacy. Convenience is key in pharmacy - the 4000 is powered using an AC/DC adaptor to eliminate the need to replace batteries and has a compact build that fits seamlessly behind a busy pharmacy counter. Pharmacists can customize their dispenser with features that make sense for their pharmacy. Optional barcode scanning is available to make filling liquid prescriptions as quick and easy as possible. If water quality is top of mind, UV filtration kills potentially harmful bacteria.
FillPure Expands - 2025
After ten years of providing reverse osmosis maintenance to over 20,000 pharmacies across the United States, we knew that there were many other industries that would benefit from a maintenance provider that had a network of in-house technicians located across the United States. FillPure now provides Legionella filtration and maintenance, microfiltration, food service filtration, water cooler/water fountain maintenance, and eyewash station compliance.
Automating the Ask - Near Future
For FLAVORx to deliver its full value, pharmacy staff must consistently ask parents how they’d like their child’s medicine flavored. Too often, that step is skipped—understandably, given how busy pharmacies are. And when the question is asked, the follow-up discussion about available options and recommendations can be surprisingly time-consuming.
Pharmacy groups across the country are leveraging technology to make this process smoother. With two-way texting, pharmacy apps, and enhanced POS systems, flavor selection can happen before the pickup. When flavoring is naturally integrated into prescription pickup, pharmacies can unlock the full potential of FLAVORx—delivering better customer experiences while saving valuable staff time.