Robyn Pizzo
Hopkinsville—or “Hoptown,” as it’s known colloquially—is the county seat of Christian County, the largest county by area in Western Kentucky and the second-largest in the state. The county’s sprawling farmlands are home to a huge agricultural community. One of the abundant crops grown in its fertile soils is soft red winter wheat, which is how Hopkinsville became known as the Batter Capital of the World.
Bourbon, Burgoo and Batter?
Hey, batter batter! Batter matters in Hopkinsville, but we aren’t taking about the Louisville Sluggers. “Batter,” in this case, refers to the culinary kind used in baking and frying. Delicious treats, from Ghirardelli brownie mix to Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, come out of this Kentucky town. A long history of milling wheat and manufacturing food mixes put Hopkinsville on the map as the Batter Capital of the World and added batter to the mix of other Kentucky culinary delights: burgoo, barbecue and bourbon.
Christian County’s Oldest Industry
Christian County was founded in 1797, and its first gristmill, where the Hopkinsville Milling Company is located, was built in 1800. A gristmill grinds grain to make flour, cornmeal and grits. Today, Christian County is the leading producer of winter wheat in Kentucky. Soft red winter wheat, a variety primarily grown east of the Mississippi River, is ideal for confections such as cakes, cookies and crackers.
Robyn Pizzo
Brands Behind the Batter Boom
Once harvested, the wheat is sent to the local mills, Hopkinsville Milling Company and Siemer Milling Company, to be processed. Hopkinsville Milling Company has been producing Sunflour flour, cornmeal and grits since 1906. Every day, Siemer Milling Company produces 2 million pounds of flour to be delivered in bulk quantities to places such as chain hotels and restaurants. All McDonald’s biscuits on this side of the Mississippi are made with flour from here in the Bluegrass State.
Siemer Milling Company delivers 520,000 pounds of its daily flour production directly to The Krusteaz Company through food-grade pipes. Formerly known as Continental Mills, Krusteaz uses the flour to produce more than 450 mixes, including its name-brand muffin, cake, cookie, cornbread and pancake mixes, plus mixes for beloved Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Ghirardelli brownies.
Local restaurants such as The Mixer in historic downtown Hopkinsville also use the flour. “We actually get all of our flour that we [use to] make everything—every pastry, every dessert, any meals that have flour in them—we get from the local Siemer Milling here in town for free,” Mixer co-owner Heather Dawson told Spectrum News. Siemer donates the flour, helping Dawson show off other local ingredients.
Robyn Pizzo
How Hopkinsville Earned Its Title
The Batter Capital of the World initiative is the brainchild of Brooke Jung, who applied for a grant through the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) when she was the director of the Hopkinsville-Christian County Convention and Visitors Bureau, with the goal of expanding the bureau’s impact across the state and beyond. Visit Hopkinsville was awarded $32,107 of the $5.5 million in EDA funds that were distributed among 103 tourism, destination and marketing organizations in 88 counties across the Commonwealth, according to the Hoptown Chronicle. Much of the funding was earmarked to promote the new moniker.
Christian County wouldn’t be the largest producer of winter wheat in Kentucky, and Hopkinsville couldn’t enjoy this claim to fame, if it weren’t for the farmers, said Amy Rogers, who was named executive director of tourism about a year ago. “Hopkinsville proudly holds the title of ‘Batter Capital of the World!’ This is more than just a tagline; it’s a testament to the incredible work happening here,” Rogers said. “We at Visit Hopkinsville deeply appreciate the partnership with Krusteaz, whose products showcase the quality of our region. And we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our local farmers, whose tireless dedication to cultivating the soft red winter wheat makes it all possible.”
Kentucky ranked as one of the top 15 wheat-producing states in 2023, according to Kentucky Farm Bureau. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Kentucky Field Office estimates that Christian County produced a county record-high 6.15 million bushels in 2023, leading the five counties that account for half the state’s wheat production.
Cultural and Economic Impact on the Community
The batter production industry supports hundreds of jobs in Hopkinsville and the surrounding region, from factory workers to agricultural suppliers and distribution roles. As a major manufacturing hub, Hopkinsville is a key player in the U.S. food-manufacturing sector. According to the Hoptown Chronicle, The Kitchen Food Co.—a privately held Australian company that produces ready-made meals—is investing $69 million in a new production facility in Hopkinsville that will employ 925 workers. Beyond the factories, the batter industry is a boon to the local economy, supporting trucking, logistics, packaging and even local restaurants that use these products.
“Being the Batter Capital of the World is something we take pride in here in Christian County,” said Christian County Agri-Business Association President Ryan Milauskas. “Not only does it make Christian County unique, but it also highlights how Christian County and our ag community as a whole continually find ways to improve efficiencies through vertical integration.
“Having consistently strong wheat production, purchasing capabilities, multiple means of transportation, and the processing capacity all right here in Christian County is a huge benefit and advantage for our farmers and our community.”