Butter Market Research Reports & Industry Analysis
All butter comes from dairy cows. It is a yellowish white mixture of fat, water, and the inorganic salts created when cow’s milk or cream is churned into butter. Butter contains largely Vitamin A, plus small amounts of calcium and phosphorus. Carotene gives it the yellowish-white pigment. (In the United States, manufacturers are allowed to add vegetable color to make butter more yellow.)
Butter in the United States is made under strict FDA regulations. Fresh milk is first inspected for weight, quality, and milkfat levels. The cream is then separated and pasteurized with at least 161◦ heat for about 15 seconds. Ultra-pasteurized milk is heated to at least 280 for 2 seconds. This extreme heat kills bacteria and gives the butter more shelf life. After pasteurization is complete, the cream is churned until it is solid: butter. The butter is then packaged and ready to be shipped to market.
All butter is considered food; it must contain at least 80% milkfat to be considered butter. There are three different types:
- Lightly salted butter is used primarily for basic cooking. It usually comes in pre-measured sticks.
- Unsalted butter is preferred for baking and for people on salt-restricted diets. It too usually comes in pre-measured sticks.
- Whipped butter, made by whipping air or nitrogen into soft butter, makes spreading more convenient. It usually comes in tubs.
Butter Industry Research & Market Reports
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Ukraine Butter and Spreads
... These products are a part of the core basket for many people. Butter is the most common spread for sandwiches, while sales of margarine and spreads have benefited from consumers shifting to home cooking to ... Read More
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Ireland Butter and Spreads
... and spreads, although we also note a sustained demand for butter within the country – notably so for local produce. We also note that inflationary pressures appear to be easing, leading to ongoing stability in ... Read More
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Norway Butter and Spreads
... cooking trend, this residual practice continues to offer consumption opportunities for butter and spreads. Moreover, the resumption of on-the-go lifestyles and travel has created opportunities for use in sandwiches, for example. In addition, consumers are ... Read More
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New Zealand Butter and Spreads
... in New Zealand no exception to this trend. Butter is a household staple ingredient for many local consumers, not only as a spread, but also as a cooking and baking ingredient. However, New Zealanders continue ... Read More
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Denmark Butter and Spreads
... of margarine, in the face of a growing consumer preference for less processed options. Many consumers are concerned about the potential health risks associated with margarine, including its links to cardiovascular issues, due to the ... Read More
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Hungary Butter and Spreads
... due to lower consumption and a shift towards alternatives at a lower price point. The replacement of butter and cooking fat with margarine, oil or other plant-based alternatives is significant as well. Euromonitor International's Butter ... Read More
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Switzerland Butter and Spreads
... declining volume sales with positive current value growth being largely due to inflation rather than an increase in demand. Swiss consumers are increasingly limiting their butter consumption or choosing more premium products, eating butter only ... Read More
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Costa Rica Butter and Spreads
... is expected to register higher value growth, though volume growth is expected to be higher for butter. Plastic jar presentations are becoming more common for butter and spreads, particularly when used as a spread, rather ... Read More
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Ecuador Butter and Spreads
... The price of margarine is closely tied to the cost of edible oil, which experienced a significant surge due to global shortages and rising production costs. However, both 2023 and 2024 have witnessed a steady ... Read More
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Greece Butter and Spreads
... increases, a trend that is being observed across many dairy categories. The primary driver behind these price hikes is the increased cost of raw materials, which has directly impacted production costs. As a result consumers ... Read More
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Egypt Butter and Spreads
... remains extremely high, as was the case in 2023, due to the significant increase in prices. Butter and spreads in Egypt is heavily reliant on imports from countries like New Zealand, leaving it vulnerable to ... Read More
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Croatia Butter and Spreads
... to minimal and volume sales unchanged. With prices continuing to rise, consumers are still price sensitive and private label benefits and in particular Lidl. Consumers scour for promotions, including on social media forums, to find ... Read More
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Romania Butter and Spreads
... legislation to help consumers affected by the high cost of living to purchase basic products at affordable prices. The legislation stipulates that a number of food products must have a limited 20% mark-up made by ... Read More
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Estonia Butter and Spreads
... invasion of Ukraine, the meteoric rise in inflation, and a constrained monetary policy continued to impact the category, although the rate of inflation is easing. However, butter and spreads are considered staple products in Estonia ... Read More
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Portugal Butter and Spreads
... sharp rise in the cost of living, many consumers are eating at home more frequently as it is the cheapest option. Additionally, some consumers see butter as a healthier option due to its natural image, ... Read More
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Dominican Republic Butter and Spreads
... continuing to grow in both volume and value terms in 2024. Whether due to the affordability of margarine and spreads or the perceived health benefits of butter, consumers have maintained their consumption habits. Instead of ... Read More
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Saudi Arabia Butter and Spreads
... was significantly impacted by substantial price increases, brought about by the war in Ukraine and associated supply and labour shortages, as well as logistical disruptions. This geopolitical conflict, coupled with high inflation and the escalating ... Read More
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Vietnam Butter and Spreads
... alongside affordability considerations. In general, Vietnamese consumers use margarine and spreads for sautéing and frying, such as to fry beef or chicken or to sauté prawns, instead of using such products as a spread on ... Read More
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Mexico Butter and Spreads
... but overall demand remained fairly stable. However, 2024 is emerging as a positive year for margarine and spreads. This is related to several factors. Margarine and spreads used to suffer more from the impact of ... Read More
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The US Butter and Spreads
... margarine continued to climb strongly in 2023. The fallout from these trends saw butter grow solidly in retail volume and current value terms in the US in 2023, while margarine and spreads experienced a significant ... Read More
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The US Dairy Products and Alternatives
... 2024, while retail volumes are expected to decline or stagnate in most categories. Milk is set to see one of the starkest declines in retail volume terms out of all dairy categories, a trend that ... Read More
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Chile Butter and Spreads
... its consumption in the local market has been growing due to its perceived benefits and versatility. This clarified butter, which is obtained through a process whereby the impurities of saturated fats and milk solids are ... Read More
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Finland Butter and Spreads
... benefits to margarine and spreads. Innovation is expected to concentrate on creating plant-based products that can successfully imitate the flavour, texture, and performance of butter in baking and frying. This approach aims to attract health-conscious ... Read More
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The United Arab Emirates Butter and Spreads
... activities that had previously surged during periods of remote working. However, following a more positive performance in 2023, retail demand for butter and spreads continues to grow in 2024 to remain above pre-pandemic levels. Euromonitor ... Read More
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The Netherlands Butter and Spreads
... lunch and exploring other meal options, such eating yoghurt or quark for breakfast. This means bread is a less popular item on the breakfast and lunch table and this has a negative impact on the ... Read More
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