Jif (peanut butter) facts for kids
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| Type | Peanut butter |
|---|---|
| Owner | The J.M. Smucker Company |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1956 |
| Markets | United States and Canada |
| 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. This company bought the Jif brand from Procter & Gamble in 2001.
Jif peanut butter has an interesting history. In 1955, Procter & Gamble bought a peanut butter company called Big Top. They also bought its factories in Lexington, Kentucky. Procter & Gamble then changed the recipe and the name of the peanut butter. They wanted it to be a strong competitor against other popular brands like Skippy and Peter Pan.
The company decided to call their new product Jif. They used different oils in the recipe and made it sweeter by adding sugar and molasses. Jif was first announced in April 1956. It was tested in certain areas before being sold everywhere. By 1981, Jif became the top-selling peanut butter brand in the United States. It stayed number one for many years.
Contents
How Jif Peanut Butter Is Advertised
Catchy Slogans and Mascots
When Jif was first launched across the U.S. in 1958, the company gave out free sample jars. Special trucks with a blue kangaroo mascot, called the "Jifaroo," delivered these samples to homes.
An early slogan for Jif was, "Jif is never dry; a touch of honey tells you why." This slogan highlighted how smooth and moist the peanut butter was. Old advertisements also pointed out the special shape of the jar's bottom. This design made it easier to scoop out every last bit of Jif.
For many years, Jif TV commercials ended with the famous slogan, "Choosy mothers choose Jif." In the 1990s, this changed slightly to "Choosy moms choose Jif." From 1998 to 2000, many Jif ads featured a musical jingle. The song's words were, "Moms like you choose Jif, choose Jif!"
Making Jif Peanut Butter
Different Kinds of Jif
The first two types of Jif peanut butter, Creamy and Crunchy, were released nationwide in 1958. Later, in 1974, Extra Crunchy Jif was introduced for those who love more peanuts.
In 1991, Simply Jif was launched. This version has less salt and sugar than the regular Jif. Three years later, in 1994, Reduced Fat Jif became available.
Today, there are many different kinds of Jif Peanut Butter to choose from:
- Creamy
- Extra Crunchy
- No Sugar Added Creamy
- Simply Jif Creamy (with less salt and sugar)
- Omega-3 Creamy
- Reduced Fat Creamy
- Natural Creamy
- Natural Honey Creamy
- Natural Crunchy
- Coffee Creamy
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 is made by Kellogg's under a special agreement.
Other Spreads from Jif
On May 7, 2012, Jif announced a new line of hazelnut spreads. These spreads came in two flavors: Chocolate and Mocha Cappuccino. Jif also makes other nut butters, like almond butter and cashew butter.
All types of Jif peanut butter are made in a large factory in Lexington, Kentucky. This factory is the biggest peanut butter production facility in the world. There is also a smaller factory in Memphis, Tennessee.
Important Safety Information: The 2022 Recall
What Happened in 2022?
On May 20, 2022, some Jif peanut butter products were recalled. This means they were taken off store shelves in the U.S. and Canada. The recall happened because there was a chance of salmonella contamination. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can make people sick. The affected products were made at the Lexington, Kentucky plant.
The J.M. Smucker Company estimated that they lost about $125 million because of this recall. By July 27, 2022, 21 people in 17 different states had become sick after eating Jif peanut butter.
