The Morning Sun June 2, 2008 ‘Jiffy’ mix is Michigan success story

Fretting about gasoline prices ingredients, labor and packaging, and the rising cost of everything the “Jiffy” brand foregoes costly else one morning last week, I was advertising, merchandising, and overtaken by pangs of hunger. coupon offers, which Chelsea Milling That sparked some curiosity, labels, “extra costs to you.” and sure enough, within minutes Instead, the company relies on several Internet sources had brand recognition by loyal customers confirmed that stress can, indeed, who have come to appreciate its induce the urge to eat. quality-price-value equation. Word But you probably knew that Sure enough, the Chelsea of mouth certainly helps. already. Milling Company has its very own The internet seems to give “Jiffy What happened next was a visit Web site. products a boost, too. Running a to the pantry in search of a goody. Turns out, the company claims search using key words “Jiffy corn And what did I find? Well, I must to have been around as a family muffin mix” produced “about 33,400” say it was a great stress reliever, business in Chelsea for 120 years. hits as reported by Google. packaged in a small, blue, white and It also produces 20 other cake, Other “Jiffy” not-so-trivial lore I red box, labeled “‘JIFFY’ corn muffin piecrust dough, pizza dough, muffin, discovered is that Chelsea Milling mix.” pancake, biscuit and frosting mixes, lays claims to having been first to Within the hour I had a batch of in addition to the corn muffin manufacture and market a baking hot corn bread – johnnycake, we offering. All are offered up at very mix of any kind, starting in 1930. used to call it – on the table to very reasonable prices. And it’s not just a Credit for originating the product is nicely quell the hunger pangs. regional outfit. Chelsea Milling’s given to Mabel White Holmes, But the real stress reliever was “Jiffy” products are sold in all 50 of whose husband, Howard, once upon that little package. the United States, and make it to a time ran the family-owned And more particularly, it was some foreign countries through the business. the price label: “36 cents.” Toss in U.S. military. Mabel must have been quite a the required egg and a third of a cup According to the company Web feisty and formidable lady. “Jiffy” of milk, and my whole eight-inch site, “Chelsea Milling Company is a mix lore has it that she was fond of diameter johnnycake had cost less complete manufacturer. We store saying, “It’s so easy even a man than a little regular from Mickey wheat. We mill wheat into flour. We could do it.” We guess she was D’s. Of course, I haven’t added in the use that flour for own mixes. We referring to baking with her value of my own labor here. Is that make our own ‘little blue’ boxes. We concoction. fudging things a little? do it all…,” right there in Chelsea. But it must be noted also that Anyway, my johnnycake tasted But I especially like the next after her husband died in a 1936 better and was a lot more satisfying part of that spiel, which says, mill accident, Mabel stepped in as than fare from a fast food place, too. “…that’s why our mixes provide you company president for a few years. All that got me to thinking. with the best possible value. Value Her sons took over the operation in You know, I remember seeing is using the highest quality 1940. Today, her grandson, Howard the “Jiffy” brand corn muffin mix as ingredients and the best price!” “Howdy” Holmes runs the show. long as I’ve shopped for groceries in If personal experience with the Back to personal experience, I’d Michigan. It always has seemed like “Jiffy” mixes is any indicator, I’ve say using the “Jiffy” mixes definitely a rare bargain, too. In the back of seldom read words in a company’s is easy enough for this man to do it. my mind, there was the sense it was own description of itself and its I just follow the directions. some kind of a local – or at least products that ring more true than The results are yummy, and a regional – product. the latter. The price certainly is low, good stress relieving bargain all Well, last week’s study of that and the products are good. around. Dick Bolton is a Morning sun columnist. little box informed me that “Jiffy” The company boasts quite mix is a product of the Chelsea Send bouquets or brickbats by e-mail to openly about that “best price” [email protected] or snail Milling Company of Chelsea, Mich., business on a Web page showing mail in care of the Morning Sun. Telephone down by Ann Arbor. Regional how relatively little is spent on messages can be left at 989-779-6055. inkling confirmed. marketing the “Jiffy” products. A And that, of course, inspired yet straightforward graphic shows that another visit to the Internet. while all producers bear the cost of