Premium Dutch Peanut Butters Launch in the UK and Ireland

With the UK peanut butter market worth £69.6 million (1) and growing in value at 11.4% year on year, it has become an important staple for supermarkets, wholesalers, convenience stores and independent retailers alike. A driving factor in this growth is an increased interest in healthy eating, as peanut butter is a source of protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fats.

Calvé Peanut Butter is produced by Unilever and enjoys a loyal market in the Netherlands, where it has 98% grocery store distribution (supermarkets, convenience stores and independent retailers). The growth in UK peanut butter sales, combined with a growth in the world food market of 5.8% year on year to £1.5 billion (2), provides an ideal backdrop for Calvé’s launch into the UK and Irish markets.

Calvé has been making peanut butter since 1948, and has proven itself not only in the Netherlands but in different cultures and countries including France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, the USA and China.

The distribution rights for Calvé products in the UK and Ireland are held by Pragmatic International Trading Ltd, led by Managing Director Toni van Eijden.

Toni grew up in the Netherlands and, like the majority of Dutch people, enjoyed Calvé Peanut Butter throughout his childhood and continues to love the taste to this day.

“The peanut butter sector is growing because it fits in with modern lifestyles and is suitable for breakfast, lunch and as a snack. It appeals to customers of all ages, especially children and teens.

“With consumers becoming more and more health-conscious, we at Pragmatic International Trading see the opportunity to offer retailers a healthy and great-tasting peanut butter. Not only is Calvé an excellent alternative to the current options, its flavour and quality advantage makes it a strong contender to become the UK’s preferred peanut butter.

“Calvé Peanut Butter is a firm favourite in the Netherlands and other countries around the world, and will be a hit in the UK too. We have tested it with British consumers and the feedback we have received has been very positive.”

Pragmatic International Trading is offering three Calvé Peanut Butter varieties in the UK: Smooth, Crunchy and Light, which has 30% less fat than the other Calvé peanut butter spreads.

The peanut butters come in 350g jars. The retail sales prices of the jars are £2.35 for the Smooth spread and £2.45 for the Crunchy and Light varieties.

Pragmatic International Trading’s main UK warehouse is in Sandbach, Cheshire. The company aims to work with different retail channels and focuses on introducing a broad range of premium Dutch brands from world-class manufacturers such as Heinz, Unilever and Hak to the UK and Ireland.

The Calvé brand will be supported by public relations and social media campaigns during its launch in the UK and Ireland. Pragmatic International Trading will also be attending the National Convenience Show at the NEC Birmingham from April 18 – 20 2016.