Spreads, butters, mayonnaise, ketchup, dips, sauces, cheese and condiments remain staples in many U.S. households, especially at breakfast. From toast and sandwiches to smoothies and oatmeal, these products are widely used across everyday meals.
With the ever-growing appetite for healthier, plant-based, and nutrient-rich foods, the popularity of nut butters is growing much more comprehensively with almond butter emerging as a popular alternative to traditional peanut butter.
What is Almond Butter?
Pretty much what the name hints at, almond butter is a vitamin E, and a fiber-rich spread that provides a good amount of monounsaturated fats that favor heart health.
Almond butter is produced by grinding raw or roasted almonds for an extended period, until natural oils are released, to extract a creamy, or crunchy spread.
It can also be made at home. However, consistency depends on the quality of the almonds and the grinding process. Industry-grade grinders are better equipped, designed and programmed to make a fine almond butter as high friction and heat help in breaking down the nuts.
Single-ingredient almond butters are the best, while blending it with sweeteners, salt, oil, or flavors dilute the nutritional value. Additional ingredients may enhance the taste, but the calorie count and the whole purpose of consuming a healthier spread get upended.
Almond Butter vs Peanut Butter
Compared to traditional peanut butter, almond butter is almost at par with the former. There has been a marginal upgrade in terms of nutritional value, while the taste quotient remains subjective.
“In general, the nutritional profile of almond butter is very similar to peanut butter in terms of macronutrients,” Yahoo! Health reported citing Diana Guevara (a registered dietitian and nutritionist supervisor at UTHealth Houston). According to her, almond butter wins in crucial vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, iron, potassium and phosphorus, while peanut butter leads in vitamin B3, B9 and selenium.
A New York-based registered dietitian Amy Gorin writes: “All in all, almond butter contains more significant amounts of nutrients than peanut butter. But either nut butter is a good choice, because they’re both full of good-for-you nutrients.”
While the New York-based dietitian and health Coach Jessica Cording believes almond butter is “undeniably the healthiest nut butter.”
The almond vs peanut debate can go on and on, but the underlying principle lies in consuming a healthy nut butter that suits the body and fits the pocket. On top of this, nut-specific allergies always come into play.
Emergence of Almond Butter
The usage and adoption of almond butter have been largely growing from the 2000s with a widespread likeability seen in the recent decade. But then again, peanut butter continues to enjoy dominance.
According to a survey by the Almond Board of California, nearly 38% of the respondents admit that adding almond butter to food makes it more nutritious. The market-wide adoption of almond butter is apparently prompting companies to expand their almond butter product lines.
The U.S. product introductions featuring almond butter as an ingredient were up 34% across diverse categories, including bars, desserts, ice-cream, confectionery and soft drinks, the survey indicated further. On the contrary, the U.S. stands apart in peanut butter consumption, keeping the world’s top spot by volume as it is found in almost 90% of the households, a study by U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine noted.
Brands Chasing Almond Butter Boom
The growing demand for almond butter is evident as brands expand into the category. The vast majority of nut butter makers have forayed into making almond butters, adding a unique proposition of their own.
Some are positioning themselves as the paramount single-ingredient butter maker, while others are playing with the composition: adding sweeteners, or salt, or oil, or flavors. From different roasting techniques in the play, to opting for raw grinding, or peeled-off almonds, producers are progressively building niches within the almond butter market.
The Earlimart, CA-based Treehouse California Almonds is one of the world’s leading almond butter manufacturers. Most companies have a base in California, given the region’s high almond production and established supply chain.
Sacramento’s Blue Diamond Growers is another prominent nut butter maker, while Fresno-based Barney Butter is positioned as a premium brand.
Other major manufacturers of almond butter include, the Orrville, Ohio-headquartered The J.M. Smucker Company, Nunda, New York-based Once Again Nut Butter, North Carolina’s Big Spoon Roasters, Telford, Pennsylvania-based Nutty Novelties, Oakland, etc.
America’s Almond Dominance
The U.S. leads global almond production when it comes to producing almond butters, given the high-capacity yield of almonds. With California acting as the epicenter of almond cultivation, the U.S. remains the world’s largest almond producer.
Of the total world production, the U.S. contributes approximately 75%, followed by Australia, Spain, Turkey, Iran, Morocco and Afghanistan.
Almond Butter Usage
Almond butter is used in a variety of ways, other than taking a spoonful directly from the jar. Some popular dietary inclusions are blending in smoothies, adding it to oatmeal, enriching the pancake batters, mixing in energy bars, using as a dip with cut fruits, adding a nutrient-dense topping on salads, stuffing dates, topping up on grilled chicken and curries, etc.
And of course, spreading the butter on toast, sourdough bread, adding a layer in sandwiches, using it as a baking ingredient for making cookies, or brownies are some conventional uses.
How Big Is the Almond Butter Market?
Unlike peanut butter, almond butter does not yet have decades-long consumer adoption. People are finding almond butter a little tastier, and slightly more nutritional as against peanut butter.
That said, the adoption of almond butter has grown, and it has begun to capture market share of peanut butter, clarified butter and to some extent the contemporary dressings and sauces which are categorically less nutritional by their existence.
The almond butter market is poised to enlarge in the coming years, as consumers shift toward plant-based and minimally processed foods.
According to a research by Polaris Market Research & Consulting, Inc., the global almond butter market was valued at $711.61 million in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.30% during 2024-2032 to reach an estimated revenue of $1.21 billion by 2032.
The Dover, Delaware-based research firm believes that almond’s high nutritional value, high demand across the globe and increasing globalization are some of the major driving factors behind the growth, alongside rising demand for balanced nutrition among younger consumers in emerging markets.
The combined nut butters market as a whole is likely to achieve a size of $5 billion by the end of 2030, a report by Market Research Future (MRFR) predicts. This includes almond, peanut, cashew, hazelnut and other nuts being used to manufacture nut butters.
What Factors Could Derail Growth?
The high cost of almonds leads to higher retail prices of almond butter, irrespective of the texture – creamy or crunchy. The addition of lower-cost ingredients such as sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined oils can lower the price, but at the same time, it lowers the quality of the product too.
Being a relatively new addition to the table, people are still trying to figure out whether to switch from peanut butter and shift to another nut butter.
Seasonal shocks such as supply chain hurdles due to geopolitical tensions, and trade disruptions due to retaliatory tariffs, deepen the strain further.
Lastly, it is always about the taste and satisfaction. People with tree-nut allergies will continue to avoid any kind of nut butter, while low-income groups will prefer to choose an option that is optimized according to their respective monthly budgets.
Factoring in all these elements poses a potential risk to market growth of the almond butter market. However, easing trade barriers, and setting up a relaxed exporting environment for Californian producers is likely to boost the industry.
