New Product Trends: Nut butters go beyond the jar

Nut butters, even less-popular varieties like almond and cashew, now reach a mass audience. Consumers spread them on toast, eat a spoonful right from the jar or snack on the product in their own unique way about every other week, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm.

What’s getting customers’ attention now are unusual edible treats that incorporate these butters.

“Peanut butter has been around for forever, but when you hear about these new products it provides a new flavor profile but one still understood by the consumers,” said Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst for NPD. “It brings news to the category, to the product, but it’s rooted in what’s familiar for consumers.”

Seifer attributes the trend to two significant factors. “We love the taste of peanut butter; it tastes great. And consumers are demanding more protein in their food." NPD’s research finds that 61% of Americans want more protein and they’re looking beyond meat for it.