| Product type | Baking mixes |
|---|---|
| Owner | Chelsea Milling Company |
| Introduced | 1930 |
| Markets | United States |
| Website | https://www.jiffymix.com/ |
Jiffy is a brand of baking mixes marketed by the Chelsea Milling Company in Chelsea, Michigan, that has been producing mixes since 1930. [1] [2] The company was previously named Chelsea Roller Mill. [3] They are known for their products being packaged in a recognizable, small box with the brand's logo in blue. Jiffy was created as the first prepared baking mix in the United States by Mabel White Holmes. [1]
The company is now run and managed by her grandson, Howdy Holmes, a former Indianapolis 500 and CART driver. [1] Holmes became the company's CEO in 1995. [1] In March 2013, the company had around 350 employees, [2] and in 2015 employs about 300 workers [1] and produces 1.6 million boxes of its products each day. [4] Its corn muffin mix accounts for 91 percent of the company's retail sales, and the company's retail market in October 2013 was $550 million. [3]
Chelsea Milling Company is a family-operated company [1] with roots in the flour milling business dating back to 1802. Originally a commercial operation that sold only to other businesses, its first baking mix designed for sale to consumers was created in the spring of 1930 by then-owner Mabel White Holmes. [5] At the time, it was marketed as a way to make biscuits that was "so easy even a man could do it." [1]
Most of the company's products are handled, processed and produced in-house, which includes grain storage, the grinding of grains into flour, product mixing and box manufacturing. [3] [6] Equipment repair is typically performed by company personnel. [3] A significant amount of product ingredients are sourced from Michigan-raised crops, including "most of the wheat and some of the sugar." [3] Some sugar and shortening is imported from the states of Illinois and Indiana. [3] The company began offering free tours of its facilities and operations to the public in the 1960s, and continues to do so today. [3]
In 2008, the company began expansion into the food service and institutional industries due to a decline in the home-baking products market. [1] In 2015, this expansion effort was significantly increased, in order to better-enable the company to fulfill the needs of these industries and markets. [1] Expansion plans were in part based upon company projections predicting that many company employees would be retiring between 2006 and 2018. [1] In 2015, 173 of the company's employees were qualified for retirement. [1] Expansion plans include the introduction and implementation of more modern equipment, which requires fewer personnel to operate, and an increased capacity for storage. [1] In 2013, as part of the plans to keep the company moving forward into the future, a new research and development facility was built that cost over $6 million. [2] The company planned for the expansions to conclude by fall 2017. [1] In 2013, Chelsea Milling Company produced 180 million boxes of Jiffy mix during their busy season, which runs from September through January. [3]
As of 2017 Chelsea Milling Company produces and markets 22 mixes. [7] As of 2015, the company has around a 65 percent market share in the prepared muffin mix category in the United States, and a 90 percent share of the corn muffin mix market, per industry estimates and estimates by Howdy Holmes. [1] The company avoids all advertising for its products, [1] and spends no money on advertising. [2] [3] Holmes has stated that the company's employees earn more pay compared to the industry standard, and also enjoy better benefits compared to the average in the industry. [1] In March 2013, production worker salaries averaged $47,000 annually. [2] The company also offers various resources and classes for its employees. [3] It has been reported that Holmes is on a first name basis with most of the company's employees, and that it is a friendly work environment. [2]
Chelsea Milling Company has received offers from debt-financing companies and also from corporations that are interested in taking over the company. [2] Holmes has stated that he prefers to maintain local control of the company, stating in an interview, "I didn't want a 28-year-old brat from Wall Street telling me how to run my company." [2] Holmes also stated that the company's local nature contributes to their customer loyalty. [2]
The company's main products are muffin mixes, including those for corn muffins (including a vegetarian variety), banana muffins, chocolate muffins, and several others. [8] [9] Additional products include brownie mix, cake mixes, pie and pizza crust mixes, frosting mixes, and multi-purpose baking mixes. [9] The vegetarian corn muffin mix uses a mixture of palm and soybean oil in place of lard. [10] Multi-purpose mixes purveyed by the company are a pancake and waffle mix, buttermilk biscuit mix and a general "baking mix". [9] The company's corn muffin mix is its most popular brand, and has around a 90 percent market share in the corn muffin mix category in the United States. [1] In 2013, 14 of the company's products were also manufactured in institutional-sized packaging, [3] which is sold to institutions such as hospitals and schools, among others. [11]
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Jiffy may refer to:
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Mabel White Holmes was the inventor of Jiffy baking mixes, and president of the Chelsea Milling Company.
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 "Jiffy mix maker changes with the times". The Detroit News . |
