The story of Vanzandt’s All-Purpose Seasoning begins with Ernest “Ernie” Vanzandt Smith, a Missouri man who believed good food could always be made even better.

In the late 1960s, Ernie was active with the Masons and Shriners in the St. Louis area, helping prepare meals for banquets and charitable events. There, he began using his own blend of spices to enhance the food he served.

People quickly took notice.

After years of compliments and requests for the recipe, Ernie decided to share his creation with the public. In 1978, he began marketing the seasoning as Vanzandt’s, drawing the brand name from his middle name. He developed and tested the original recipe himself.

Perfecting a Blend for Everyone

Ernie’s professional life also played an important role in shaping Vanzandt’s.

As a weight inspector for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Ernie worked at the Interstate 44 weigh station near St. Clair. He tested several versions of his seasoning by sharing them with truck drivers passing through. After traveling across the country, many returned with opinions and suggestions.

Their feedback helped Ernie refine the recipe repeatedly until he created a blend he believed would appeal to people nationwide.

That blend became Vanzandt’s All-Purpose Seasoning.

A Family Tradition Continues

After retiring from the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 1984, Ernie sold the recipe to his friend Alvin “Squeaky” Marquart and Squeaky’s wife, Opal, of Washington, Missouri.

The Marquart family operated the business for more than 25 years. When health considerations prompted a transition, two of their five children, Eric Marquart and his brother, Kyle, purchased the company. In a fitting connection to the brand’s history, Kyle also served with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for more than 33 years.

Across generations, Vanzandt’s grew from a seasoning shared largely by word of mouth into a familiar product throughout Missouri and beyond. It has an especially strong presence in the St. Louis market, where it is available through Schnucks supermarkets, Syberg’s restaurants, and many smaller stores. Today, customers enjoy Vanzandt’s in more than 30 states.

More Than a Seasoning

The values behind Vanzandt’s have always extended beyond what is inside the can.

Ernie was deeply civic-minded, and the company continues that tradition by supporting The BackStoppers, an organization that assists the families of police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who die in the line of duty. Vanzandt’s also contributes to other civic groups.

That legacy is reflected in the principles Vanzandt’s continues to uphold:

Quality first. American-made. Family-owned.

From one Missouri man experimenting with a personal spice blend to a seasoning enjoyed by generations of families, Vanzandt’s has remained true to a simple purpose:

Brighten Any Meal.