HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – “If you eat a McDonald’s biscuit east of the Mississippi River, all that flour comes from here,” said Brooke Jung, the current executive director of Visit Hopkinsville.
A few years ago, Hopkinsville was rebranded as the Batter Capital of the World. Merchandise, signs and even statues can be found in the city proudly displaying the slogan. But what does it mean?
“Here at our office, we started to brainstorm what makes Hopkinsville special, what makes Hopkinsville unique. And when you look at it, one of our biggest industries and one of our biggest assets is our farmers and our farmlands,” Jung said. “So when you look at the process of what that agriculture goes through, a lot of those steps are done right here in Christian County.”
The Batter Capital website says it all started with Hopkinsville Milling Co., the city’s oldest industry. They still produce SunFlower products and paved the way for the industry to expand in this area. The rich wheat fields in Christian County, paired with the growth and access to railways, made Hopkinsville the perfect spot.
The Krusteaz Co. also has a massive presence in Hopkinsville and is one of the world’s biggest producers of various baking mixes. At Krusteaz, they make their muffin, cake, cookie, cornbread and pancake mixes, along with other brands like Red Lobster biscuits, and Ghirardelli mix. They also produce waffle mix for many major restaurant chains, and food-service cake, pancake, cornbread and biscuit mix.
Batter Capital Visitors Center
The Hopkinsville Visitor’s Center is located next to entrance to the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park. Travelers coming through often stop by both popular spots to get to know Hopkinsville’s history.
When walking into the Visitors Center, information about the Batter Capital is everywhere, and the friendly faces behind the desk happily inform people about The Batter Capital of the World. Merchandise is not in short supply with stickers, spoons, cast-iron pans, candles, and even cornbread-infused soap filling the shelves. Everyone who comes through is also encouraged to take a photo inside the giant mixing bowl.
Jung says the community has really embraced the Batter Capital idea, and the title has stirred up a lot of excitement, acting as a megaphone for Hopkinsville.
“People get excited to learn about the things that are made here,” Jung said. “It’s an ongoing opportunity for us to continue to tell the unique story of Hopkinsville and Christian County.”