Dairy Processing - July/August 2023 - 64

BUTTER
Next phase of butter
L
Culinary-inspired flavored butters are fighting food fatigue.
ast year TikTok introduced Americans to the " butter
board, " a social media sensation rooted in dairy
checkoff strategy. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI),
Rosemont, Ill., had assembled a " Dairy Dream Team "
consisting of chefs, recipe developers, foodies, gamers and
lifestyle influencers, along with influencers working with state
and regional checkoff teams, to get creative with new ways
dairy can be enjoyed by consumers, particularly Gen Z.
The butter board video featured multiple sticks of softened
butter spread over a charcuterie-style wooden board with
garnishes, such as edible flowers, herbs, honey and sea salt
crystals. The video went viral, inspiring people to post their
own butter board versions on social media channels - and
fueled creations throughout the winter holidays.
" This is part of what the checkoff's modern marketing
strategy looks like, " said Barbara O'Brien, president and
chief executive officer at DMI. " By working with social media
influencers, we are meeting consumers where they are and
giving them new reasons to choose dairy. "
Gen Z - tomorrow's future head-of-household shoppers
- are responding. Recent research from HealthFocus
International, Des Plaines, Ill., showed that younger
consumers are more open to animal fats, such as butter, ghee
and tallow, compared to their older counterparts. They may
be more receptive to these fats due to recent questioning of
government recommendations to limit saturated fats, while
older groups have been instructed in these recommendations
much longer.
" Tallow - the number-one rated 'bad fat,' seems to
64 JUL-AUG 2023 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
be having a resurgence, driven by younger and specialty
consumers, " said Cali Amos, director of human insights.
" While counter to the plant-based trend, this fat hits on many
other health and wellness trends, including real food, clean,
sustainability - nose-to-tail, low-waste - and lifestyle diets
(such as) keto, carnivore, whole 30. "
GROWING CONSUMPTION
Data show that consumption of butter continues to grow yearafter-year,
as the number of younger and specialty shoppers
control more of the retail food dollar. Per capita annual butter
consumption jumped from 4.3 pounds in 2001 to 5.4 pounds in
2011 to 6.5 pounds in 2021, according to the US Department of
Agriculture Economic Research Service.
While pandemic-fueled at-home baking resulted in large
spikes in retail butter sales, marketers are now focusing on
other uses for butter. This includes culinary-inspired flavored
butters to assist with food fatigue.
Challenge Dairy Products Inc., Dublin, Calif., has found
much success with its Challenge Butter Snack Spreads. Made
with real butter and no artificial flavors, the spreads made
their debut in early 2022 in three dessert and three seasoned
varieties. They are buffalo, chocolate, everything seasoned,
garlic parmesan and herb, salted caramel and vanilla fudge.
A year later, the 112-year old dairy teamed up with Lawry's
Seasoned Salt, a brand owned by McCormick & Company,
Hunt Valley, Md., to offer consumers a " butter " way to enjoy
Lawry's iconic Seasoning Salt on their favorite foods. The
company also has a new dessert flavor: lemon.
Churn Foods
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
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