You have probably seen Jiffy Mix in the baking section of the grocery store. Surprise! It's made nearby, and they give free plant tours.
They will schedule a tour for even one person. Just call. It's more fun with a bigger group. On the day I went, there were also students from the EMU Biz School.
You can't miss the huge Jiffy Mix silos at the railroad tracks on the north end of Main Street in Chelsea, MI. Keep going north of the tracks. Turn west onto a side street. You'll see signs that say "Visitors." Park in the lot and walk across the street to the main entrance. There are some very friendly employees to greet you.
First you'll come into a small auditorium where you'll be offered some baked goods and something to drink. Next you'll see a silly little video featuring Corny, the talking Jiffy MIx box and Howdy Holmes, the president and CEO of the company. Kids will love this. I even chuckled a few times. I don't know if it was because of the B-school students, or if Mr. Holmes personally takes time out of every day to meet visitors, but it was a real treat to get to ask questions about the company, and get his take on running a successful business. He said that when they take on new employees, 70% is what kind of person they are and 30% is what kind of skills do they have. He waxed philosophical about how this is all just some big experiment in behavior modification, oh, and they also happen to make muffin mix. I was very impressed by him, and it made me love the Jiffy Mix company even more!
Oh, and one side note: Jiffy Mix does not spend any money on advertising. They put their efforts into creating a fresh, delicious product instead. The plant tour is probably the best advertising they could ever have.
Then we were offered a very low-key chance to get up and buy a sample pack of mixes to take home. Don't be shy. Jump up and go into the little side room where they can ring you up. The small set (12 boxes) is $6 and the big one (24 boxes) is $12. Of course I'm going to want some to take home and share. They also have t-shirts, etc. They'll have it waiting at the end of the tour, so you don't have to carry it the whole way.
The equipment is a bit loud. Employees wear ear plugs, and so did I, because my ears are so sensitive to noise. I keep a pair of earplugs in my purse just in case.
Oh, and I was wearing Dansko clogs, which were a bit slippery on the painted cement inclines. So best wear rubber-soled shoes if you have any difficulty walking.
If you are fascinated by machinery, this is the best part. Watch as one after another piece of cardboard becomes a box. Then the liner goes in. And then the mix. How do they keep it all straight? There are elevated conveyor belts that route the boxes all over the plant. Pretty cool. Some parts of the process are totally automated, others have a person keeping watch over the machines. Jiffy Mix employs 300 people.
After you complete the tour, they give you a sample bag with a recipe book (modifications based on the original box mixes) and a couple of boxes of Jiffy Mix. We got brownie mix. Hubby was thrilled to see me bring those home.
You can always go back and enter the front door if you want another sample box of mixes. I plan to do that next time I'm in Chelsea. read more