Jif (peanut butter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jif

Type	Peanut butter
Owner	The J.M. Smucker Company
Country	United States
Introduced	1956; 69 years ago (1956)
Markets	World
Previous owners	Procter & Gamble
Tagline	"That Jif'ing Good"

Jif is a very popular American brand of peanut butter. It is made by The J.M. Smucker Company. Jif was first created in 1946 by William T. Young and was called "Big Top." Later, in 1955, another company called Procter & Gamble (P&G) bought it. They changed its name to Jif. In 2002, J.M. Smucker bought the brand from P&G. Jif products are made in Lexington, Kentucky. This factory is the biggest peanut butter making place in the whole world!

The Story of Jif Peanut Butter

How Jif Began

Jif peanut butter started in 1946. It was first made by William T. Young in Lexington, Kentucky. Back then, it was called "Big Top." In 1955, a big company named Procter & Gamble (P&G) bought Big Top. They also bought the factory where it was made.

P&G wanted to make their peanut butter even better. They changed the recipe and the name. They wanted it to be a strong competitor against other popular brands like Skippy and Peter Pan. P&G decided to call their new product Jif. They used different oils to make it smooth. They also added sugar and molasses to make it sweeter. The new Jif was announced in April 1956. It was first tested in certain areas.

Jif Becomes a Top Brand

By 1981, Jif had become the most popular peanut butter brand in the United States. It stayed at the top for many years. In 2001, The J.M. Smucker Company bought the Jif brand from P&G.

Product Recall in 2022

On May 20, 2022, J.M. Smucker Company announced a recall of some of their peanut butter products. These products were made at their factory in Lexington, Kentucky. The recall happened in the US and Canada. It was because of a possible problem with salmonella bacteria. Salmonella can make people sick.

The company estimated that this recall cost them about $125 million. By July 27, 2022, some people in different states had reported feeling unwell after eating Jif peanut butter. The affected peanut butter also impacted other countries that bought the product. A class-action lawsuit was filed against J.M. Smucker Co. on July 19, 2022, regarding the recalled peanut butter.

Jif Advertising Over the Years

In 1958, Jif was introduced across the U.S. in a big way. Special trucks with a blue kangaroo mascot, called the "Jifaroo," gave out free sample jars. An early saying for Jif was, "Jif is never dry; a touch of honey tells you why."

Old advertisements also showed off the special shape of the jar's bottom. This shape was designed to make it easier to get all the peanut butter out. For many years, TV commercials for Jif ended with the famous line, "Choosy mothers choose Jif." In the 1990s, this changed slightly to "Choosy moms choose Jif." From 1998 to 2000, many Jif ads had a catchy song. The lyrics were, "Moms like you choose Jif, choose Jif!"

How Jif is Made and Its Varieties

Jif production plant in Lexington, Kentucky

The first types of Jif peanut butter were Creamy and Crunchy. They both came out across the country in 1958. In 1974, Extra Crunchy Jif was introduced. Then, in 1991, Simply Jif was released. This version has less salt and sugar than regular Jif. Reduced Fat Jif came out three years later in 1994.

There are many different kinds of Jif Peanut Butter today:

Jif also makes small, individual servings called "Jif to Go." These come in packs of three or eight. In 2014, Jif even introduced a peanut butter-flavored breakfast cereal. This cereal was made by Kellogg's under a special agreement. On May 7, 2012, Jif announced new hazelnut spreads. These came in Chocolate and Mocha Cappuccino flavors. Jif also makes almond butter and cashew butter.

Most Jif products are made at the factory in Lexington, Kentucky. This is the largest peanut butter factory in the world. There is also a smaller factory in Memphis, Tennessee. Products from the Memphis factory were not affected by the 2022 recall.