Sanitarium Plans More Peanut Butter Choices

Sanitarium Responds To Customer Calls For More Choice In Peanut Butter

Sanitarium today announced plans to re-introduce its original recipe Australian-made peanut butter, following feedback from New Zealand customers wanting more choice.

General Manager Pierre van Heerden says the company appreciates the feedback it has received about its peanut butter following a change earlier this year.

Mr van Heerden says Sanitarium has a proud history of producing high-quality, affordable and healthy food products - including Kiwi icons such as Weet-Bix and Marmite - for more than 100 years and is committed to continuing this fine tradition.

"The response from our customers shows how much Kiwis care about Sanitarium, and we are responding to what they've been telling us."

Peanut butter sold in New Zealand has become very much a commodity product in recent years with deep price cuts by many brands. As a result, most peanut butter sold in New Zealand is now produced in China, a major international grower of peanuts and producer of peanut butter. The larger scale of Chinese suppliers enables them to produce a quality product at a more cost-effective price and export to many countries.

To remain competitive in the marketplace, Sanitarium undertook an extensive 18-month investigation, before moving production of its peanut butter range to an independently audited and accredited factory in China late last year. Different varieties of peanuts have different flavours and levels of natural sugar. As a result, an adjustment to the recipe was made. This resulted in a peanut butter that tasted slightly different to the Australian-made product.

"Many customers have said they like the new product better, while others prefer the original recipe, so we're going to expand our range with a more locally made option. This is about providing our customers with more choice."

The recent debate around country of origin food labelling has highlighted the importance New Zealanders place on where their food comes from.

"It has always been our policy to openly and accurately label our products for our customers' information. In fact, Sanitarium has been at the forefront of advocating for detailed food labelling for years now. For example, we were proud to lead the initiative to ensure sugar content remained a required item on food labels in 2001."

All Sanitarium's products are clearly labelled with the country of origin, as well as nutritional values and ingredients.

Mr van Heerden says Sanitarium is planning to launch its peanut butter produced in Australia with a new distinctive label. The product will be made to the original recipe and will cost a little more. The existing range of great value quality product will also remain available.

"All of our peanut butter continues to be made to the same high quality and safety standards that we have always maintained. Now our customers will have greater choice, and that can only be good."

Mr van Heerden anticipates the new range of Australian-made Sanitarium peanut butter will be available in about eight weeks.

ENDS

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