Mabel White Holmes

Former President & Inventor of the "JIFFY" Brand

During her career, Mabel White Holmes invented the first prepared baking mix sold to the public. Later, as President of the Chelsea Milling Company she would help solidify both the "JIFFY" brand and the prepared mix market in the United States.

The marriage of Howard Samuel Holmes and Mabel White in 1912 unified two Midwestern milling families and set the stage for Mabel's significant contribution to the milling industry.

Great ideas can sometimes come from the most unexpected places. This time, the idea came from an incident that occurred during the childhood of her twin boys, Dudley and Howard.

One morning they had brought a friend home to play. When noon arrived, Mabel had offered them lunch, but the young visitor had insisted on eating what his father had prepared and sent him. Mabel couldn't help but notice the flat, unappetizing biscuits that the young boy's father had attempted to make. She knew that light, flaky biscuits weren't easy to make, but these were exceptionally sad looking.

Inspired, Mabel rolled up her sleeves and set to work. No one knows how long it took to determine the right ingredients and measurements, but the result was a biscuit mix that was so easy, it only required adding milk to make perfect biscuits every time. Her husband Howard was impressed by her accomplishment and the pair set about developing it into a product. All they needed was a name.

When Mabel was young, the White family hired an accomplished chef, who's melt-in-your-mouth biscuits were nothing short of legendary. Mabel remembered her saying, "...tell your father his biscuits will be ready in a jiffy."

"What do you think about the name "JIFFY" Biscuit Mix?" Mabel asked.

Business took a new and welcome turn for the better when Mabel White Holmes developed the nation's first packaged mix. The "JIFFY" Biscuit Mix predated its competitors by at least 6 months. C.F. Smith Company of Detroit, Michigan was the first customer to carry "JIFFY" products.

Mabel served as president until 1940, when she became a member of the board of directors. She continued to hold an interest in the family business until her death in 1977.