When Philip Weisenberger was in his 20s, he decided to take a break from the family business on the banks of the South Elkhorn Creek. He was frustrated that nothing ever seemed to change. He found his way back and now realizes that what he found challenging about the business is actually its greatest strength.
“Walking into Weisenberger Mill is like walking into a time capsule,” says the sixth generation of Weisenberger millers. “How we did it—how we do it—is what makes it special.”
The folks at Weisenberger don’t jump on trends, and many of their manufacturing processes have been in use since the early 1900s. Instead, they focus on consistently doing what they do best: delivering local, fresh wheat and corn products with an unmatched depth of taste. It embodies the best kind of old-fashioned.
The family business doesn’t have a mission statement or modern “branding,” but the essence of the business model can be summed up by Philip’s grandfather, Phil. “Leave a good taste in the customer’s mouth,” he used to say. He meant it two ways—the good taste of a quality, flavorful product, and the good taste of dealing with a fair and honest business.
Weisenberger Mill has been leaving a good taste in Chef Ouita Michel’s mouth for 20 years. She owns three restaurants in Midway and says, “I decided if I live in the town with the oldest continuously operating mill in Kentucky, I ought to be using their products. I like that the grains are locally raised, super fresh and consistently tasty. They link the diner to this place and time.”
The freshness comes from Weisenberger’s order-based production system. Most grains go out the doors to customers within a week of processing. The family strives to keep prices reasonable and backs all of the products with a 100 percent unconditional guarantee. Internet orders have no minimums, and the company works hard to treat customers as they would like to be treated. “We want happy customers,” Philip says.
Most of the Kentucky Proud grains are grown within 100 miles of the mill, which has long-standing relationships with several farmers. The wheat is a soft variety from western Kentucky, perfect for biscuits and muffins but not ideal for yeast breads. Weisenberger’s yellow corn is grown by Henton Farm in Woodford County. Rogers Farm in Hardin County has supplied all of its white corn for more than 30 years.
Labels on the bags of flour and cornmeal indicate from which farm the grain originated and that the corn is not genetically modified. The mill’s decision to procure non-GMO corn is aided by the bourbon industry, a major local purchaser of corn. As Kentucky distillers move toward insisting on non-GMO, it becomes more accessible for smaller purchasers like Weisenberger Mill.
A Rich History
Weisenberger Mill’s spot of land in Scott County has housed a mill since 1818. The first miller of the family, Augustus Weisenberger, was a German immigrant who purchased the business in 1865. At that time, mills were ubiquitous along South Elkhorn Creek. Local farmers were the clientele, shuttling their grains by horse and wagon to neighborhood millers for processing. In exchange, they would pay with a portion of the product for the miller to sell.
The second generation, the mill’s first Philip Weisenberger, was steward next. During his tenure, the original structure developed a crack. In 1913, it was replaced with the current mill building, and stones from the old building were ground up to make cement for the existing one.
The structure is not the only thing from 1913 that remains. Grinding technology has not changed much since the early 20th century, and much of that original equipment is still in use today. The belt-driven power system and steel roller mills have been in operation for over a century.
In 1920, the second Augustus, “Gus,” joined his father at the mill. In 1954, the second Phil took over after his father passed away. He was only 25 years old. In many ways, he brought the business into the modern age and laid crucial groundwork for its current success.
Phil was a cook and collector of recipes. Taking the raw grains from the mill, he expanded the product line in the 1960s to include a collection of baking mixes. The various muffin, biscuit and cornbread mixes are complete and need only added water. Phil developed some of the mixes with and for restaurants, such as the hush puppy batter. The mixes remain popular today, and the pizza dough is one of Weisenberger’s best-selling products.
Phil made another major business change: The mill got out of the distribution business. At the time, it owned a fleet of trucks and had drivers delivering its grains around the region. The family made the decision to focus on what they do best—milling grain. Now, they sell wholesale and partner with all major regional food distributors. These companies have a more extensive reach than the mill and often recommend Weisenberger products to new customers.
Today, Phil’s son and grandson, Mac and Philip, respectively, are the proprietors of the mill. While wholesale orders traditionally have been their bread and butter, they began small internet sales almost 20 years ago. In 2020, that proved providential. As they saw their food service business shrink dramatically, the Weisenbergers saw their internet orders surge due to the revival of home baking along with the desire for remote shopping. These family-sized purchases increased from five orders a day to more than 80.
Under the family’s watch, the mill invested in a state-of-the-art energy system. Originally, mills were built on creeks because the running water provided the power source. At Weisenberger, water turbines directly powered the belt pulley system line shaft until the 1980s. With help from the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research and Shaker Landing Hydro Associates, the mill received a grant from the United States Department of Energy to convert the system to hydroelectric power generation. The new system is more than 90 percent more efficient. By running the turbines during operating hours, the mill again generates much of its power from the creek.
While a small grain mill might be thought of as a local business, Weisenberger reaches beyond Kentucky. Part of that is due to the customers. Upon opening a restaurant in Washington, D.C., a former Louisville chef insisted his new distributor offer Weisenberger grains. One of its niche products, funnel cake mix, is shipped the farthest. It has a following at fairs, and a customer in South Korea regularly purchases it wholesale.
Business Built on Family
With Weisenberger Mill having such a long history, there are families who have been customers for generations. It is comfort food. “Food evokes memories, like of a childhood visit and making biscuits with Grandmother,” Philip says. “Customers write us regularly sharing their family stories of our products.”
Philip has worked at the mill since he was 12. He remembers childhood summers with his dad, sweeping the floors. The business is so ingrained, he was not deterred by the epic Elkhorn flood the day he returned in 1997. He feels the weight of the five previous generations of Weisenbergers and of his name imprinted on the building. But, he says, “Working at Weisenberger Mill is not a pressure; it is an honor. This is built on family. There is not much more important than that.”
To make your own family memories, Philip recommends starting with one of the mill’s big sellers—grits, pizza crust mix, fish batter breading or self-rising cornmeal. The online store offers gift boxes, a reprinting of Grandfather Phil’s cookbook, and greeting cards of the picturesque mill along with cornmeal, stone ground grits, flour and more than 20 baking mixes. All orders can be shipped.
First-time customers should consider purchasing their products through the online store, then taking the scenic drive to the mill for pickup. The historic building is just off the Old Frankfort Pike National Scenic Byway near Midway and close to I-64. Pull into one of the customer parking spots and pick up fresh-milled goodness directly from a member of the long line of Weisenbergers who care for the mill.