Community at the Counter

The Chupp Brothers Grow E&S Bulk Foods into a Shipshewana Staple

Photographer / Jessica Whitehead

Step inside E&S Bulk Foods on State Road 5 in Shipshewana, and the first thing you’ll notice isn’t the neat rows of bulk bins or the scent of fresh pies cooling near the bakery counter — it’s the feeling. A warmth hums through the aisles, somewhere between the quiet rhythm of a small-town morning and the friendly chatter of shoppers swapping recipes.

For locals, E&S isn’t just a grocery store. It’s a gathering place, a reminder that honest food and honest work still anchor the heart of northern Indiana.

Nearly four decades ago, Ervin “Butch” and Sarah Chupp opened their little country grocery. Now, the second generation of the Chupp family prepares for the store’s next chapter: a move into a brand-new building that will double retail space, bring back a beloved sandwich deli, and carry forward their legacy.

From Basement Beginnings to a Beloved Landmark

The story of E&S Bulk Foods started in 1970 in the basement of the Chupp home. Ervin and Sarah named their store Forks County Line Store, a nod to the “Forks” area where Elkhart and LaGrange counties meet.

As their business grew, they moved operations into a converted barn before selling to Ervin’s brother-in-law, Levi Bontrager. But Butch wasn’t one to stay still for long. After a brief stint farming, he felt that pull again — the one that comes when a good idea refuses to sit quietly.

In 1986, he opened a new grocery store next to Eash Sales, a neighboring dry goods store in Shipshewana. He called it E&S Sales, for Ervin and Sarah, and ran it with the help of his sons and daughters.

Business grew fast. By the mid-1990s, the Chupps had built new warehouses, expanded their retail space, and begun employing locals who would remain for decades. Today, the business employs nearly 150 people, several of whom have been with E&S for more than 20 years.

Each one, says co-owner Kenny Chupp, plays a vital role in the store’s success.

“We’ve been blessed with good hardworking people. They’re like family,” Kenny says.

Faith Built on Family

Running a second-generation business is no small feat. Studies show that only about 30% of family-owned companies make it past the founder’s generation. But the five co-owners — brothers Kenny, Jay, and Duane, along with brothers-in-law Merle and Larry — have found a rhythm.

The brothers are grounded in the values passed down from their parents: faith, fairness, and fellowship.

“The biggest factor in our success is that we all share the same faith in the same God,” Jay says. “That doesn’t mean we always agree. We’re five different personalities, after all. But we know we’re stronger together.”

A commitment to communication, and a shared rule to “leave work at work,” helps keep both the business and the family healthy.

“We don’t drag disagreements home,” Jay says. “That’s not fair to our families. We work it out and move on.”

It’s an ethos that’s kept the business steady over time.

The Store That Feeds Community

Walk the aisles of E&S and you’ll find everything from bulk baking items and dried herbs to homemade noodles, local honey, and candy by the pound. There are bins of flour and sugar for every holiday pie. Tubs of chocolates are perfect for gift baskets. In season, local produce fills the bins. The smell of bread baking draws a steady stream of regulars who swear by it.

During peak tourist season, the store bustles with out-of-towners exploring the heart of Amish Country. Yet the Chupps never forget who helped them build their foundation.

“Our locals are the backbone,” Jay says. “And we don’t take that for granted.”

A New Chapter Rising

In 2025, the Chupp family broke ground on what will soon become the next home of E&S Bulk Foods — a 128,000-square-foot building just north of their current site. The new space will feature expanded bakery, produce, and deli sections, and the long-awaited return of their sandwich counter.

For the Chupps, though, bigger doesn’t mean impersonal. The move is about comfort, efficiency, and continuing to improve their customers’ experience.

“We’re excited,” Kenny says. “We’ve added on so many times over the years that things have gotten tight. This will help us serve everyone better.”

And for Jay, ever the visionary (and self-proclaimed “foodie”), there’s joy in dreaming about what comes next.

“I’d love to see us do old-fashioned taffy pulls again, maybe even add sushi or smoked meats as daily features,” he says with a grin. “But one step at a time. For now, we’re just grateful for where we are.”

Faith for the Future

These days, E&S isn’t just a second-generation business. The third is already stepping in. Eight of the owners’ children work at the store. They learn the ropes, take on responsibility, and carry the family’s values forward.

That legacy weighs heavily, but in the best way.

“Dad used to worry about us running the business into the ground,” Jay jokes. “Now it’s our turn to worry about them. But honestly, I think they’ll do great.”

As the community grows and Shipshewana continues to draw visitors from around the country, E&S remains exactly what it’s always been: a local anchor built on faith, family, and flour.

“God’s been good to us,” Kenny says. “We’ve been given much, and our goal is to give back — through good food, good service and a good example.”

For the Chupp family, success isn’t measured in square footage or sales, but in the quiet satisfaction of serving others, one scoop, one loaf, one smile at a time.

E&S Bulk Foods is located at 1265 N. State Road 5, Shipshewana, Indiana. For more information, call 260-768-4736 or email eandssales@hotmail.com.