THE CHELSEA MILLING COMPANY

“THE PROUD HOME OF JIFFY MIX”

The Chelsea Milling Company has been a family-owned business operating in downtown Chelsea since it was established as a traditional flour mill in 1901, by founder Harmon S. Holmes. Over the next three decades, Chelsea Milling Company produced flour for the local communities.

At the start of the Great Depression, Harmon’s daughter-in-law, Mabel White Holmes, considered how she and her family could help those most affected. When a friend of her twin sons Howard and Dudley visited her home, she noticed the biscuits in the boys lunch were flat and unappetizing. Mabel decided to find a way to create a pre-made mix which would assist the boy’s single father at home.

In 1930, Mabel’s home-grown project became the first prepared baking mix sold to the public. The simple to use mix only required the addition of milk to produce perfect biscuits every time. By keeping their “Jiffy” brand baking materials affordable, the Holmes’ new venture was a hit for those recovering from the effects of the Depression.

Today, in the heart of Chelsea, the “Jiffy” market is the share leader in retail prepared muffin mixes, yet the company’s goal remains the same; to feed America, especially during tough economic times.

For the past nine decades, Chelsea has been the proud home of one of America’s gems.