BUCYRUS — A small produce stand started 50 years ago by David and Miriam Cooper outside their rural Bucyrus home has grown into a major wholesale supplier of homemade apple butter, jams and jellies this side of the Mississippi.
Cooper’s Mill, 1414 N. Sandusky Ave., is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. It’s a milestone for the family business, which prides itself on using fresh ingredients and time-honored recipes, the same ones passed along for generations.
David and Miriam Cooper would be proud.
“We just kind of took the foundation and the product line that the Coopers had, as well as their original recipes, and kind of built on that foundation,” said company vice president Justin McMullen.
Although apple butter – still simmered and stirred in 50-gallon copper kettles – is Cooper’s signature item, the production facility behind the retail store churns out nearly 50 flavors of jams and jellies, relishes and sauces. If it can be canned or spread, Cooper’s probably makes it.
Apple butter alone accounts for 30-percent of annual sales, McMullen said. Jars are packed and shipped to farm markets, orchards, roadside stands and specialty food stores primarily in the Midwest, all bearing the “Simple Goodness Since 1969” label.
Dan Cooper, the son of the founders, is the company’s product specialist. He grew up in the business, picking ripe tomatoes as a youngster and working with his five sisters in the garden and in the greenhouses so fruits and vegetables were always plentiful. The pay in the day was a quarter.
As business grew, the family built a small country store on the property. In 1989, Cooper’s Mill moved to its current location north of town, the former Oberlander’s Cider Mill. A homemade fudge line was introduced in 1993, the brainchild of Dan Cooper, who first did it for an FFA project in school.
When David and Miriam retired in 2013, the business was sold to Justin McMullen of Galion and his brother, Jason. The brothers renovated the production room in 2014 and upgraded the canning equipment. The retail store was remodeled three years ago.
The business in recent years has “spiced up” its offerings with the debut of salsas and a line of barbecue sauces featuring flavors like screaming sriracha, angry peach and, in keeping with the Cooper’s tradition, apple butter barbecue – another Dan Cooper original recipe.
“The love of food definitely drives you,” said Cooper, a huge fan of hot pepper butter relish and peach habanero sauce, which he loves to slap on sandwiches and pork chops. “I love creating new flavors, and I love the challenge each new product brings.”
To commemorate the birthday celebration, Cooper’s will be unveiling a new label for its famous apple butter. And it will be recognizing the story of Cooper’s Mill – from humble beginnings and hard work which over the decades forged a bond of trust and commitment to the community.
“We think it’s pretty amazing that in this day and age we have a business sustaining for 50 years,” McMullen said. “We appreciate the support from the community and we’re just thankful to all those people.”
Cooper’s Mill will host a Friday and Saturday celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days where customers may enjoy delicious samples, enter to win prizes and enjoy special savings on select products in the market.
The first 150 customers who make a purchase on Friday will receive a complimentary Cooper’s Mill tote bag and guest grillers will be serving up German bologna, pork loin and hotdogs Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a donation. All money collected will be donated to The Community Foundation for Crawford County.
