Vendor Spotlight: Shipshewana Spice Company
Shipshewana Spice Company is known for their amazing spices and seasoning, and most famously, the Happy Salt. You won't find a better price on these than at the Shipshewana Flea Market.
Shipshewana Spice Company is one of my favorite vendors (and I know, I know, I say that A LOT). But seriously, if I enter this booth, I can’t help myself from making spice recommendations based on my favorites to shoppers in the booth. (And no, I don’t get a commission or any cut of those sales).
Shipshewana Spice Company, owned by flea market vendor Kevin Horn, is located at booth 646. Kevin is known for his amazing spices and seasoning, and most famously, the Happy Salt®.
Kevin Horn’s family has been here for 40 Years ever since his dad retired from the restaurant business. He started selling spices here as a hobby and it turned into a viable business after several years. When he "retired again", Kevin said he thought “the hours are way better than the restaurant business", so he started coming 25 years ago.
Shipshewana Spice Company sells about 80-85 varieties of fresh spices.
Top 5 Shipshewana Spice Company Spices
- Happy Salt
- A famous Shipshewana Spice Seasoning Salt blend that was just sort of stumbled into. It has become so popular in this area it has now made its way into some Amish and Mennonite cookbooks which makes Shipshewana Spice Company "happy". It is a hugely popular ingredient for casseroles, potatoes and soups. It is also very popular with campers because you can season everything from potatoes in the morning to hamburgers at lunch to stew at night.
- Garlic & Cheese
- This low salt blend makes the best cheesy garlic bread and pasta dishes. Kevin recommends adding it to marinara sauce and meatballs.
- All Purpose Seasoning
- What more can be said, you can use it for all sorts of things!
- Taco Seasoning
- People come from all over for this plus you don't have to mess with the little packets like those from the box stores.
- Mr. Hearts Salt Free Seasoning
- This salt free blend (great for those watching their salt intake) adds a depth of herbal flavor that is great for soups, stews and roasts. This one is also great for making compound butters (a fancy way of saying an herb butter) which are delicious on steak or salmon. Just zest a little orange rind, add some Mr. Hearts to softened butter, form it, chill it, then add it to your meat of choice for that added bold flavor.
Shipshewana Spice is committed to their spices being fresh so they manage their supplies based on the demand so that the product is moving along in a timeframe that keeps its freshness at its peak quality.
Tips for New Vendors
Kevin took a few moments to share a few simple tips to help new vendors or someone looking to get started with their own side hustle or flea market booth. He says you simply have to:
Have a good product and one you enjoy.
- Build relationships with your customers.
- Treat your customers right, and use their feedback to make changes or keep things the same for those products that are working well.
He added, “That’s all it takes!”
Recipe Ideas:
One of our former employees just loves adding happy salt to her avocado toast and she shared some other great recipes so you have to Check Them Out: 3 Summer Grilling Recipes using Shipshewana Spice Company's Greek Seasoning
Best Shipshewana Spice Prices Are Found at the Flea Market
Although you can find Shipshewana Spice Company products in area stores, you save about 25% off by shopping his flea market booth so you won't want to miss out stocking up when you shop the Shipshewana Flea Market each May through September.
If you haven't visited the Shipshewana Flea Market, check out our FREE Trip Planner to help plan your first visit!
