Old Bay Seasoning

Old Bay Seasoning is a famous spice blend in the eastern US state of Maryland. It stands out with its blend of 18 different spices, perfectly combined to create a rich, savory, and aromatic flavor suitable for seasoning a wide variety of dishes. Today, Rimping Supermarket invites you to learn about the legend of this yellow and blue bottled spice.

Origins with a German Immigrant (1930s AD)

The origin of Old Bay Seasoning began with Gustav Brunn, a German immigrant who moved to Baltimore in the 1930s AD. After immigrating, Brunn struggled to find work but was unsuccessful. He then decided to establish Baltimore Spice Company. He applied his knowledge of spice blending from Germany to experiment with creating a seasoning for seafood. He used up to 18 spices, including mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaf, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika, among others.

During the same period, crabs in Chesapeake Bay became so abundant that they flooded the market. Bars and restaurants in Baltimore began offering free crabs to customers to boost drink sales. Seeing this opportunity, Brunn presented his spice blend to various restaurants to make their crab dishes more delicious for customers. Consequently, his seasoning quickly gained popularity.

Launch and Becoming a Maryland Icon (1939 - 1940 AD)

Later in 1939, Brunn officially launched his product. Initially marketed as Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning, he changed the name to Old Bay Seasoning in 1940 AD. The name was inspired by the Old Bay Line, a passenger steamship line that operated between Chesapeake Bay and Norfolk, Virginia.

The new name, coupled with its distinctive yellow and blue packaging design, quickly propelled Old Bay Seasoning to become an icon in Maryland. Many restaurants and bars began widely using his spice blend for seasoning. This made Old Bay Seasoning known across the United States, spread by word-of-mouth from tourists visiting the city.