In 1929, as much of the country began to feel the pain of The Great Depression, German emigrant Ellis Huntsinger—a traveling lightning-rod salesman—found a new fortune in the ground beneath his feet just south of Eau Claire. No, not corn or soybeans, but a more unexpected crop: horseradish. His half-acre of the spicy root vegetable provided enough supplemental income for his family to thrive during a difficult era.
Ninety-five years later, Huntsinger Farms—as it is known today—is still thriving, as I see firsthand on an unseasonably warm February day. The company farms 5,000 acres in and around western Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley and processes eight to nine million pounds of horseradish each year, making it the largest grower and processor worldwide.
The land deserves much of the credit. Situated near the 45th parallel, smack dab between the equator and the North Pole, the fertile terrain is uniquely suited to growing horseradish. A few latitudinal degrees higher, the winters would be too cold for horseradish, and a few degrees lower, the summers would be too warm. The 45th parallel is the sweet spot: perfect for growing the hearty roots while providing natural cold storage in the ground.
However, the land can’t do it on its own. Huntsinger Farm’s continual expansion results from four generations of Huntsinger family members perfecting the process. Eric Rygg, Ellis Huntsinger’s great-grandson, has served as president of Huntsinger Farms and its subsidiary, Silver Springs Foods, since 2018.
“Can I get you anything?” Rygg asks as I enter the company’s headquarters, an historic red brick house in the southwest corner of the city of Eau Claire, and the former home of Ellis Huntsinger. Rygg opens the refrigerator door, revealing no food but rows upon rows of Silver Springs’ horseradish and mustard products.
“Nothing like a shot of straight horseradish to start the day,” I joke.
“I won’t stop you,” Rygg grins, though he quickly notes that it’s a pretty rare palate that enjoys horseradish straight from the jar.
“It’s all about what you pair it with,” he explains, “and how it makes your food taste better, which is essentially our purpose.”
Horseradish has traditional uses (from zesty sauces for roast beef and prime rib to the dollop in your Bloody Mary), though new culinary trends are always taking root. (Rygg recommends a wheat cracker topped with peanut butter and a smidge of horseradish; don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.)
“Horseradish can be really versatile,” Rygg says, “but it can also be pretty polarizing. I’ve often found that people don’t always even know when they’re eating it.” As proof, he cites shrimp cocktail, salad dressing, and coleslaw—all of which regularly contain a dash or more of horseradish, whether we know it or not.
While there’s seemingly nothing subtle about horseradish, in the proper proportions, it can be. Science plays a vital role in managing the horseradish’s heat. In 2014, inspired by the Scoville scale (which rates the heat of peppers), Rygg and his team partnered with South Dakota State University to begin work on a new horseradish-specific heat index called the “Zing Factor.” Products are ranked on a scale from one to five, with one being “mild” and five being “knock your socks off hot.” The scale helps customers determine how much heat they want and helps Silver Springs determine how much of each product to produce.
Rygg’s passion for the science of horseradish extends to the fields, where agricultural processes and techniques are continually reviewed to ensure environmentally friendly practices and more robust yields. “Sustainability has been important to our company since the beginning,” Rygg says, “but we’re really leaning into it now.” The company employs a multipronged approach to sustainable practices, from crop rotation and precision agriculture to a water retention pond and solar panels. The result is a healthier planet and a better bottom line.
While Huntsinger Farms has a long track record of horseradish success, Rygg remains committed to seeking out best practices for all facets of company life—from growing to production to company culture. In 2019, Rygg and his team created “The Huntsinger Way”—30 fundamental tenets to support its 250 employees, all compiled into a pocket-sized folding booklet. While some fundamentals align mainly with the workplace (“Be vigilant about safety,” “Provide legendary service,” “Be process-oriented”), many of the fundamentals apply to employees’ broader lives (“Do the right thing, always,” “Show meaningful appreciation,” “Invest in relationships.”)
Each week, the company focuses on a single fundamental, and together, employees explore how best to implement it. Employees from all parts of the company are invited to take their turn composing a company-wide email on what that week’s fundamental means to them.
“And so, I get the perspectives from someone on the plant floor and someone on the farm,” Rygg explains. “We kind of walk in each other’s shoes.”
While their legendary horseradish brings the heat, Huntsinger Farms brings the heart to their product.
It is the perfect pairing, indeed.
