Odell's

Odell's is a privately held American food-products business focused on butter-based toppings, popping oils, and related concession supplies. Its principal customers have historically been movie theaters and other concession operators in the Americas, while its broader product range also serves restaurants and retail channels. The company is especially associated with shelf-stable butter products designed for popcorn service, where conventional creamery butter creates practical storage and handling problems. The business originated with Virgil Odell, who owned several theaters in Idaho during the 1960s. At that time, theaters commonly used refrigerated stick butter or creamery butter on popcorn. Conventional butter contains water and milk solids that separate from the butterfat when melted, requiring frequent stirring and refrigeration. Odell identified a military-developed process for removing water and milk solids from butter. The resulting anhydrous butterfat could be transported without refrigeration or special handling and was adapted for use as a theater-popcorn topping. Odell's anhydrous butterfat was reportedly adopted successfully by theaters, leading to the formal incorporation of Odell Concession Specialty Co., Inc. on January 31, 1961. The company later expanded its concession range beyond its original butterfat product. Its theater-oriented offerings include real-butter topping, margarine topping, and several popping oils, including coconut, canola, and sunflower varieties. Product names associated with the range include Anhydrous Butterfat, Supur Kist Two, Classic Blend Popping Oil, Premium Canola Popping Oil, Fluffy Pop Coconut Popping Oil, and Golden Sunflower Popping Oil. The company also developed a non-concession line of butter products. Chef's Butter extends the brand into foodservice and retail applications beyond movie-theater popcorn. This positioning gives Odell's a specialized role at the intersection of concession equipment supply, popcorn preparation, and commercial butter ingredients rather than a conventional consumer-snack brand. Ownership changed after Virgil Odell died on October 27, 1979. Arthur R. Anderson became president and held a 51 percent ownership interest, while three other individuals divided the remaining 49 percent. At that stage, the business included five theaters as well as the butter operation. Within five years, the theater holdings were separated as the other shareholders chose to own and operate the theaters, leaving Anderson as sole proprietor of the butter business, then commonly called Odell's or “the Butter Company.” In 2001, Arthur R. Anderson sold Odell's to his son, Arthur M. Anderson, and Arthur's wife, Vikki B. Anderson. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about later ownership, management, corporate structure, facilities, revenue, and distribution. The available account nevertheless identifies Odell's as an established specialist supplier whose core proposition is to make popcorn topping and popping ingredients more practical for commercial operators through shelf stability, functional performance, and product variety.

Odell's developed from a theater-operations problem identified by Virgil Odell in Idaho. During the 1960s, Odell owned several theaters that used conventional creamery butter or stick butter as a popcorn topping. Although familiar to consumers, conventional butter was poorly suited to concession operations: it required refrigeration, and melting caused water, milk solids, and butterfat to separate. The product therefore needed continued stirring before service and was difficult to transport and store. Odell found that a process developed for military purposes could remove water and milk solids from butter. The resulting anhydrous butterfat could be shipped without refrigeration or special handling. He adapted the process for theater popcorn, creating the basis for Odell's original commercial offering. The product gained rapid acceptance among theaters, and Odell Concession Specialty Co., Inc. was incorporated on January 31, 1961. The company initially operated as part of a wider family business that included five theaters and the butter operation later known as Odell's or “the Butter Company.” Virgil Odell died on October 27, 1979. Arthur R. Anderson then became president and acquired a 51 percent ownership position; three other individuals held the remaining 49 percent in aggregate. The company structure changed over the following five years. The other shareholders elected to retain and operate the theaters, while Anderson became sole proprietor of the butter business. Under the Odell's name, the business continued to focus on commercial popcorn ingredients. Its concession portfolio came to include real-butter topping, margarine topping, and multiple popping oils. Named products associated with the range include Anhydrous Butterfat, Supur Kist Two, Classic Blend Popping Oil, Premium Canola Popping Oil, Fluffy Pop Coconut Popping Oil, and Golden Sunflower Popping Oil. These offerings address different operator preferences for flavor, cost, application, and oil type. Odell's also broadened its scope beyond cinema concessions. Its non-concession products include several butter products, notably Chef's Butter, which is sold to restaurants and retailers. This expansion preserved the company's butter expertise while giving it applications outside movie theaters. In 2001, Arthur R. Anderson sold Odell's to his son Arthur M. Anderson and Arthur's wife, Vikki B. Anderson. Available reference material does not establish a later sale, public listing, precise headquarters, current executive roster, financial performance, or detailed manufacturing and distribution arrangements. The documented history therefore presents Odell's primarily as a privately operated specialist supplier serving concession and foodservice markets in the Americas.

• 2001

  Family ownership passes to the next generation

  [1]Odell'sen.wikipedia.org

  Arthur R. Anderson sold Odell's to his son Arthur M. Anderson and Arthur's wife, Vikki B. Anderson.

• 1980

  The theater and butter businesses separate

  [1]Odell'sen.wikipedia.org

  Within five years of Virgil Odell's death, the other shareholders retained the theaters and Arthur R. Anderson became sole proprietor of the butter business.

• 1979

  Arthur R. Anderson assumes leadership

  [1]Odell'sen.wikipedia.org

  After Virgil Odell died on October 27, Arthur R. Anderson became president and held a 51 percent ownership interest.

• 1961

  Odell Concession Specialty Co., Inc. is incorporated

  [1]Odell'sen.wikipedia.org

  The company was formally incorporated on January 31, following the successful adaptation of anhydrous butterfat for theater popcorn service.

A specialist commercial supplier of shelf-stable popcorn toppings, popping oils, and butter products for theaters, concession operators, restaurants, and retailers.

• Popcorn topping · 1961

  Anhydrous Butterfat

  Odell's foundational butter product for theater popcorn. It uses butterfat processed to remove water and milk solids, making it more suitable than conventional butter for storage, transport, melting, and concession service without ordinary refrigeration requirements.

• Concession topping

  Supur Kist Two

  A named product in Odell's concession range. The available reference identifies it as part of the company's theater-oriented popcorn topping portfolio but does not provide detailed formulation, packaging, or current availability information.

• Popping oil

  Classic Blend Popping Oil

  A popping oil offered for commercial popcorn preparation. It belongs to Odell's concession line, which is designed for theater and other high-volume popcorn operations.

• Popping oil

  Premium Canola Popping Oil

  A canola-based popping oil in Odell's concession portfolio. It provides operators with an oil choice distinct from the company's coconut and sunflower offerings.

• Popping oil

  Fluffy Pop Coconut Popping Oil

  A coconut-based popping oil marketed under the Fluffy Pop name for concession popcorn preparation. The source material does not specify its exact formula or distribution status.

• Popping oil

  Golden Sunflower Popping Oil

  A sunflower-based popping oil included in Odell's commercial concession range, giving theater and foodservice operators another oil option for popcorn production.

• Foodservice and retail butter

  Chef's Butter

  A non-concession butter product that extends Odell's offering beyond movie-theater popcorn. It is sold to restaurants and retailers and represents the company's broader foodservice and commercial-butter activities.

• 2001

  Sale to Arthur M. and Vikki B. AndersonM&A

  Background

  After leading the butter business for more than two decades, Arthur R. Anderson transferred ownership within the family.

  Action taken

  Arthur R. Anderson sold Odell's to his son Arthur M. Anderson and Arthur's wife, Vikki B. Anderson.

  Aftermath

  The business remained under Anderson family ownership according to the available historical account.

  Source

• 1980

  Separation of theater operations from the butter businessStrategy

  Background

  Odell Concession Specialty Co. included five theaters alongside its butter operation, with ownership divided among several individuals.

  Action taken

  The other shareholders retained the theaters, while Arthur R. Anderson became sole proprietor of the butter business.

  Aftermath

  Odell's continued as a specialized butter and concession-products business rather than as a combined theater-and-supply operation.

  Source

• 1961

  Commercial introduction of anhydrous butterfatProduct launch

  Background

  Conventional butter was difficult for theaters to refrigerate, transport, and keep blended after melting.

  Action taken

  Odell adapted a military water-and-milk-solids removal process to create an anhydrous butterfat product for popcorn topping.

  Aftermath

  The product reportedly achieved immediate success with theaters and became the foundation of the company.

  Source

1. 1Odell'sen.wikipedia.org