COZAD, Neb. — Cooper's Best Flour, makers of a popular pancake mix, is an old business with a new location in central Nebraska.
Cooper's Best pancakes have been a staple in many Nebraska homes for years. In addition to being served for breakfast, they are often made for large gatherings such as pancake feeds. The mix is also shipped nationwide, usually at the request of people with ties to Nebraska.
Business Manager Jennifer Beisner said that when she analyzes the Cooper's Best pancake formula she doesn't see anything extraordinary.
"Everybody always tells me it's the best. My dad was a feed dealer, so I grew up with it," Jennifer said. "We haven't figured out exactly what makes it the best, what exactly makes them taste better."
Beisner said she likes talking to customers about how they discovered Cooper's Best.
"They all have a story of ties to Nebraska," she said.
Wayne Burrow of Humboldt Grain and Flour owned Cooper's Best Flour until last year. At age 85, Burrow decided to retire and contacted Eric and Diana Beisner of Cozad to offer them the equipment and product line. The Beisners are also the owners of the Feed Store Inc. in Cozad.
The Beisners purchased equipment from Burrow in September 2010 and moved it from Humboldt to Cozad by December. With the help of Burrow's employees Larry Davis and his sons, Donald and Steven, it was a smooth transition without a disruption of production.
Now the business is run by the Beisner family — parents Eric and Diana, daughter Jennifer, sons Jeff and Dave and Dave's girlfriend, Jessica Upthagrove.
"I like that it's all of us family that can work together," Jennifer Beisner said.
In addition to mixing and packaging products, they make deliveries on a route that includes Beatrice, Omaha, Lincoln, Humboldt, Maryville, Mo., Seneca, Kan., and a few towns in between.
Jennifer Beisner said some pieces of equipment, such as the wooden sifter, date to 1923. The old equipment still functions to mix formulas. Only a new packager and a final sifter have been added to streamline the process.
"That is more for efficiency," she said. "We can go from filling 25-pound bags to 3-pound bags with the same machine. We are excited about that."
In addition to pancake mixes, there is a biscuit mix and a breading that can be used to coat meat or vegetables before frying. Cooper's Best Flour also sells the same all-purpose flour it uses in mixes to customers.
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