By Elizabeth Montgomery, Food Editor
The Valley Amish Pantry: A New Destination for Scratch Cooks in Benwood
For home bakers and scratch cooks in the Ohio Valley, stocking up on high-quality pantry staples used to mean a long drive across the river and deep into Ohio’s Amish country. That commute has officially been cut short. The Valley Amish Pantry, a massive new bulk food store, has opened its doors in Benwood, West Virginia, transforming a quiet stretch of town into a bustling hub for heritage cooking supplies.
Housed in a repurposed brick warehouse, the market smells faintly of sweet molasses and toasted cinnamon the moment you walk in. It’s a completely analog shopping experience—no self-checkouts, no scanner beeps—just rows of meticulously labeled clear bins, towering shelves of jarred goods, and a cold case packed with heritage dairy.
The Backstory: Bridging the River
The pantry is owned and operated by the Hershberger family, who spent the last two decades farming and operating a wholesale supply business near Sugarcreek, Ohio. For years, Elias Hershberger drove a delivery route through the Ohio Valley, dropping off massive sacks of specialty flours and bulk spices to regional bakeries and restaurants.
Over time, he noticed a recurring theme: ordinary residents in towns like Wheeling and Moundsville were constantly asking if they could buy straight from his truck. The demand for bulk, high-quality, unbranded ingredients in the Northern Panhandle was immense, but the supply was nonexistent.
When an old, high-ceilinged warehouse went up for sale on Marshall Street in Benwood, the family saw their chance. They spent the winter retrofitting the space with custom wooden shelving built by Elias’s brothers, installing commercial refrigeration, and filling the floor with hundreds of bulk bins. The result is a sprawling, sunlit market that brings the best of Ohio’s Amish harvests directly to West Virginia.
Pantry Highlights: What to Fill Your Cart With
Unlike a standard grocery store, you buy by weight here, scooping exactly what you need into plastic bags. Here are the standout items drawing crowds from three states:
- Two-Pound Amish Roll Butter: Hand-churned and wrapped in simple wax paper, this butter has a significantly higher butterfat content than standard supermarket brands. It’s a secret weapon for creating incredibly flaky pie crusts and rich cookies.
- Vietnamese Cinnamon & High-Oil Spices: The spice aisle is a revelation. Their bulk Vietnamese cinnamon has a remarkably high oil content, making it visibly darker and much sweeter and spicier than standard Cassia cinnamon.
- Clear Jel: A holy grail item for canners. This modified cornstarch is the only USDA-approved thickener for home canning because it doesn’t break down under high heat or acidic conditions, resulting in perfectly set cherry and peach pie fillings.
- Amish Wedding Brand Jarred Goods: An entire wall is dedicated to these traditional, slow-simmered preserves. The pickled baby beets and the spiced apple butter are the fastest sellers, made with recipes that haven’t changed in a century.
- Sorghum Molasses: Hard to find outside of the Deep South or Amish country, this thick, dark syrup is less bitter than standard blackstrap molasses and adds an incredible, complex depth to baked beans and gingerbread.
For anyone serious about their kitchen, The Valley Amish Pantry isn’t just a grocery store; it’s a treasure chest.
Visit the Business:
The Valley Amish Pantry, 415 Marshall Street, Benwood, WV 26031
