Changes for American Butter

The American Butter Institute <http://www.butterinstitute.org>  (ABI), managed by NMPF, has unveiled a new logo for the association, one of recent changes at the 106-year-old organisation. “As a result of the changes made through our strategic planning process, it was determined that ABI needed to revitalise and revamp its logo to bring it more into the 21st century,” Anuja Miner, executive director of ABI says.

In addition to approving a new logo, the ABI Board last autumn named Miner the organization’s executive Director. She takes over as the chief ABI staff person from Jerry Kozak, who has retired from the dairy industry after running ABI for the previous 22 years.

US butter consumption in 2013 reached its highest level in 40 years, according to ABI. This increase was in part to a shift in consumer preferences away from highly processed foods, artificial ingredients, and trans fats derived from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration began the process of banning trans fats from the American food supply.

“Margarine and other spreads are no longer viewed as healthier alternatives,” Miner says. Since 2002, Americans increased their butter intake by 25 per cent. In 2012, per capita consumption reached 5.6 pounds a year, up from a low point of 4.1 pounds in 1997.