It’s the company’s best conversation starter. “So, I thought you folks were the turkey company?” While their story began with turkeys, Butterball® Farms has built its legacy on butter, not birds.
Founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, over 65+ years ago, Butterball Farms began with the vision of entrepreneur and innovator Leo Peters.
Peters, who purchased the trademark Butterball and once held patents in the turkey industry, sold those rights, but retained the use of the Butterball name for a new venture. Turning his innovative mind to butter and inspired by chocolate molds, he was the first to create beautiful, embossed butters.
With this iconic food invention and his advancements in flash-freezing technology, Peter’s creation was adopted by several hotel chains and famous restaurant chains. This includes one of the world’s most legendary chains that featured their logo embossed into butter pats served with their signature pancakes.
That innovative mindset continues today with second-generation owner, Mark Peters. Butterball Farms has quickly grown with its innovations, like portion-controlled single-serve butter shapes and designs.
This includes their famous Butterball Butter Premium Balls® or Butter Roses, designed to elevate and enhance the dining experience.
The company is also the market leader in blending compound butters, such as garlic parmesan, lemon dill, and pesto basil into specially-crafted pre-portioned dollops.
The dollops melt atop proteins, starches, or vegetables just before serving to impart the desired flavor without the use of labor that can be inconsistent and time-consuming. Flash frozen and thawed by operators when ready to use, the dollops reduce waste, promoting sustainability.
One Butterball Farms product that has a unique shape and flavor is the Honey Butter Hive. A perfect fusion of honey, butter, and cinnamon sugar makes the Honey Butter Hive a favorite of restaurants wishing to elevate their breakfast menu for waffles, pancakes, or biscuits, and for use with sweet potatoes, ham, and other items.
To save time and labor, its 2 lb pouches of butter sauce base also save time in the prep of sauces, desserts, soups, and more called Quik-Creations®. Easy to prep and customize, endless recipe possibilities are available using Quik-Creations.
Likewise, restaurants looking for signature menu items or LTO’s, Butterball Farms has expanded its capabilities beyond shaped and flavored butter with custom flavor formulation of sauces, marinades, gravies, and more.
Flavor formulations are available in bulk options, like pails, tubs, or drums, or pre-portioned options depending on the need of the operator. You can learn more about our custom flavor process at Butterball Farms INC, create custom flavor.
With a mission statement of “Enrich Lives,” Mark Peters has built a positive culture for Butterball Farms’ customers, employees, and the surrounding community. Mark Peters co-founded The Source, a non-profit that equips participating employers, including Butterball Farms, with the best community resources to help support their employees.
His book, The Source, which tells his story, is available on Amazon. Mark is a frequent speaker at conferences of business leaders nationwide.
Butterball Farms is confident in its capabilities to serve restaurant operators and its eternal trek of innovation within the premium butter space and beyond. Want to taste and see for yourself? Take advantage of the free sample kit the company is offering of its shaped butters to operators. Request your free sample today!
Butterball Farms also helps operators stay ahead of significant menu trends with its annual flavor guide, available for downloading. All Butterball Farms products are available via your local distributor. Need help locating one? They can help you online at Butterball Farms, distributors.
When you seek labor-saving, flavor-elevating premium butter, remember the name—Butterball Farms.
