The Best-Selling Peanut Butter In America Isn't Skippy Or Peter Pan

Peanuts are strongly tied to the culture of the U.S. From the history of boiled peanuts emerging as a much-needed source of nutrition to the surprising history of peanut butter, their roots run deep. So, it makes sense that, according to The Food Institute, 94% of American households had at least one tub of peanut butter in the pantry as of 2023. There's one big question, though: what brand of peanut butter is in most Americans' kitchens? The answer is Jif. 

It's not even close. According to a report by evidnt, Jif has a 32% share of the PB market, while the number two brand, Skippy, holds only 19% of the national market. Peter Pan comes a relatively close third, at 13%, and then there's another shock entry; Justin's slips into fourth place. The upstart brand nabs 6% of peanut butter sales nationally with its two-ingredient, palm-oil-free, health-focused product. 

The final notable player in the market is Smucker's, who sell only 4% of the country's peanut butter. While the brand is more known for its jelly than its peanut spread, it's still a little jarring (no pun intended) that the brand sells so little of their eponymous nut butter. They aren't neglecting the other half of a PB&J entirely, though. Smucker's has owned Jif since 2001.

What matters most when it comes to store-cupboard staples is availability. Unsurprisingly, Jif has extremely strong distribution and is available in a huge number of stores across the country. Availability is a major factor in the brand's success. Jif isn't usually the cheapest of the big three, however. This may lead to a loss of market share soon, as evidnt found that price is becoming increasingly important in peanut butter choice, with a strong uptick in generic and store brand sales in the last couple of years and bigger growth in per-unit sales than dollar sales. 

Another trend that could knock Jif off the top spot, or at least reduce its lead, is a rise in sales for health-conscious options like natural or sugar-free peanut butter. This is something Jif seems prepared for, however. The brand offers a reduced-fat peanut butter, a natural peanut butter, and a PB with no added sugar, all for around the same price as its regular spread. This foresight may be a part of why Jif peanut butter holds the top spot, and these specific products could grow their market share as trends of health-consciousness and tighter budgets come together. After all, no one's giving up on peanut butter when times are tough! Whether we're making protein peanut butter bars or packing PB&Js for lunch, the spread is an important source of nutrition for many of us.