American Butter Institute Takes New Direction in 2014
January 10, 2014
The American Butter Institute (ABI), managed by NMPF, has unveiled a new logo for the association, one of the many recent changes at the 106-year-old organization.
“As a result of the changes made through our strategic planning process, it was determined that ABI needed to revitalize and revamp its logo to bring it more into the 21st century. The ABI board voted on the new logo at its October meeting, and we are launching it this week,” said Anuja Miner, the Executive Director of ABI.
In addition to approving a new logo, the ABI Board last autumn named Miner the organization’s Executive Director. She takes over as the chief ABI staff person from Jerry Kozak, who has retired from the dairy industry after running ABI for the previous 22 years.
ABI also reported this week that U.S. butter consumption in 2013 reached its highest level in 40 years. Miner attributed the increase in part to a shift in consumer preferences away from highly processed foods, artificial ingredients, and trans fats derived from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began the process of banning trans fats from the American food supply.
“Margarine and other spreads are no longer viewed as healthier alternatives,” she noted, as consumers are demanding more pure and natural products. Since 2002, Americans increased their butter intake by 25 percent. In 2012, per capita consumption reached 5.6 pounds a year, up from a low point of 4.1 pounds in 1997.
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