Butter is a culinary staple ready for experimentation. Similar to cheese, the vast majority of new butter launches are unflavored. While unflavored butter doesn’t defuse the essence of a dish, flavored butter can spice up the taste, transforming a meal into something more robust. Consider pronounced food inclusions such as tomato, garlic, and onion. Adding food accompaniments to butter flavors will enhance meals and showcase a sense of freshness.

The pandemic caused consumers to cut back on restaurant spending, resulting in creative butter applications in baked goods and meals. Butter brought comfort during unprecedented times; however, with inflation creeping in, the value surrounding the category will be important. Without sacrificing quality, butter innovation must address taste, health, and versatility. As consumers anticipate neutral flavors in butter, new flavors can improve taste and entice consumers to seek out new products. Flavor innovation can look to foodservice for innovation, as consumers will most likely be eager to replicate taste in their homemade meals.

Source: Mintel GNPD, Apr 2021-Mar 2022