View source for Jif (peanut butter)

{{Short description|American brand of peanut butter}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{infobox brand
| logo           = Jif (peanut butter) logo.svg
| name           = Jif
| image          = NON GMO.jpg
| type           = [[Peanut butter]]
| currentowner   = [[The J.M. Smucker Company]]
| origin         = United States
| introduced     = {{Start date and age|1956}}
| discontinued   = 
| related        = 
| markets        = World<ref name="guangming">{{cite news |title=受沙門氏菌污染 涉及批號Jif花生醬須下架 |url=https://guangming.com.my/%E5%8F%97%E6%B2%99%E9%96%80%E6%B0%8F%E8%8F%8C%E6%B1%A1%E6%9F%93-%E6%B6%89%E5%8F%8A%E6%89%B9%E8%99%9Fjif%E8%8A%B1%E7%94%9F%E9%86%AC%E9%A0%88%E4%B8%8B%E6%9E%B6 |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=光明日报 |date=2022-05-30 |language=zh-TW}}</ref>
| previousowners = [[Procter & Gamble]]
| trademarkregistrations = 
| ambassador     = 
| tagline        = "That Jif'ing Good"
| website        = {{URL|https://www.jif.com/}}
}}
'''Jif''' (sometimes printed as '''JIF''') is an American brand of [[peanut butter]] made by [[The J.M. Smucker Company]]. It was first created as "Big Top" by [[William T. Young]] in 1946, then purchased by [[Procter & Gamble]] (P&G) in 1955 and renamed to "Jif". J.M. Smucker later purchased the brand from P&G in 2002. Its products are produced at a facility in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], which is the largest peanut butter production facility in the world.

==History==
In 1946, Jif was created by [[William T. Young]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], named "Big Top" at the time.<ref name="Montgomery Advertiser" /><ref>{{cite news |title=William T. Young, 85, Owner And Breeder of Racehorses |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/14/sports/william-t-young-85-owner-and-breeder-of-racehorses.html |accessdate=2025-06-17 |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=2004-01-14}}</ref> In 1955, Procter & Gamble bought Big Top peanut butter and its manufacturing facilities in [[Lexington, Kentucky]] from [[William T. Young]].<ref>Dudley, Jack. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103051548/ "P&G Acquires W. T. Young Foods, Inc.; Ratio of Stock Transfer is Undisclosed"], [[Cincinnati Enquirer]], August 23, 1955, page 32.</ref> In the ensuing years, the company reformulated and rebranded it to compete with [[Skippy (peanut butter)|Skippy]] and [[Peter Pan (peanut butter)|Peter Pan]]. P&G named its product Jif, used oils other than peanut oil in its [[hydrogenation]] process, and sweetened the recipe, adding sugar and molasses. The new product was publicly announced in April 1956, as tests of the product began in select markets.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103050775/ "New Peanut Butter to Be Introduced"], [[Wichita Eagle]], April 12, 1956, page 2D.</ref> In 1981, Jif became the largest peanut butter brand in the United States, a position it held at least through 2008.<ref name="JifHistory">{{cite web|title=About Jif: The History |publisher=[[Pillsbury Company]] |access-date=2008-02-21 |url=http://www.jif.com/aboutjif/aj_history.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213001858/http://www.jif.com/aboutjif/aj_history.asp |archive-date=February 13, 2008 }}</ref> In 2001, [[The J.M. Smucker Company]] purchased the brand from P&G.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=104574&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=629010&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712063212/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=104574&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=629010&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-12 |title=J.M. Smucker Announces Stock Deal with P&G for Jif and Crisco }}</ref>

===2022 recall===
On May 20, 2022, [[J.M. Smucker Company]] announced that their peanut butter products, which were manufactured in their Lexington, Kentucky plant, were recalled in the US and Canada due to potential [[salmonella]] contamination.<ref name="foodsafetynews" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The J. M. Smucker Co. Issues Voluntary Recall of Select Jif® Products Sold in the U.S. for Potential Salmonella Contamination |url=https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/j-m-smucker-co-issues-voluntary-recall-select-jifr-products-sold-us-potential-salmonella |website=U.S. Food and Drug Administration |date=2022-05-21 |language=en |last=Nutrition |first=Center for Food Safety and Applied |access-date=2022-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Certain Jif brand Peanut Butters recalled due to Salmonella - Recalls, advisories and safety alerts – Canada.ca |url=https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/certain-jif-brand-peanut-butters-recalled-due-salmonella |website=recalls-rappels.canada.ca |date=2022-05-22 |last=Government of Canada |first=Health Canada |access-date=2022-06-09}}</ref> The company estimated a loss of $125 million as a result of the 2022 recall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=J.M. Smucker to take $125 million hit from Jif peanut butter recall |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/financials/jm-smucker-take-125-million-hit-jif-peanut-butter-recall-2022-06-07/ |website=Reuters |date=2022-06-07 |language=en-US |access-date=2025-06-18}}</ref> On July 19, 2022, a [[class-action lawsuit]] was filed against J.M. Smucker Co. over the contaminated peanut butter.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.retailconsumerproductslaw.com/2022/07/recall-litigation-report-j-m-smucker-co-faces-class-action-suits-following-jif-peanut-butter-recall/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220723215255/https://www.retailconsumerproductslaw.com/2022/07/recall-litigation-report-j-m-smucker-co-faces-class-action-suits-following-jif-peanut-butter-recall/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 23, 2022 | title=Recall Litigation Report: J.M. Smucker Co. Faces Class Action Suits Following Jif Peanut Butter Recall | date=July 19, 2022 }}</ref>

As of July 27, 2022, 21 people in 17 states had fallen ill after consuming Jif peanut butter.<ref name="foodsafetynews">{{Cite web |title=CDC says 17-state Jif peanut butter Salmonella outbreak is over |url=https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022/07/cdc-says-17-state-jif-peanut-butter-salmonella-outbreak-is-over/ |website=Food Safety News |date=July 27, 2022 |last=Beach |first=Coral}}</ref> The contaminated peanut butter also affects countries in the world that import the product.<ref name="guangming" /><ref name="hk01-2022">{{cite news |author1=孔繁栩 |title=美國Jif三款花生醬疑受沙門氏菌污染　食安中心籲停止出售及食用 |url=https://www.hk01.com/article/773548 |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=香港01 |date=2022-05-23}}</ref>

== Advertising ==
In 1958, the brand rollout in the U.S. involved a heavily publicized house-to-house distribution of free sample jars from special trucks<ref name="Montgomery Advertiser">{{cite news |title=Procter & Gamble Samples City With Jif|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103051213|accessdate=2025-06-17 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |page=9-C |date=1958-09-07}}</ref> emblazoned with the then Jif mascot, the "Jifaroo", a blue kangaroo. An early slogan was "Jif is never dry; a touch of honey tells you why." Early advertising also emphasized the beveled edge of the jar base, meant to make it easier to get the last bit of Jif out of the corner. For many decades, TV commercials for the product ended with the tagline, "Choosy mothers choose Jif", and, in the 1990s, "Choosy moms choose Jif." From 1998 to 2000, there was a musical jingle that accompanied many Jif ads, which used the lyrics, "Moms like you choose Jif, choose Jif!"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Krampner |first1=Jon |title=Creamy & crunchy: an informal history of peanut butter, the all-American food |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York |isbn=9780231530934 |section= Nine “Choosy Mothers Choose …” |doi=10.7312/columbia/9780231162333.003.0009 |jstor=10.7312/kram16232.13 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BEHIND THE SCREENS Hollywood Goes Hyper-commercial |url=https://www.mediaed.org/transcripts/Behind-the-Screens-Transcript.pdf |website=Media Education Foundation |page=7 |accessdate=2025-06-17}}</ref>

== Manufacturing ==
[[File:Jif peanut butter production plant Lexington Kentucky.JPG|thumb|Jif production plant in Lexington, Kentucky]]

The original ''Creamy'' and ''Crunchy'' style Jif peanut butters both made their nationwide debut in 1958. In 1974, ''Extra Crunchy Jif'' was introduced, followed in 1991 by ''Simply Jif'', a peanut butter variant with low sodium and less sugar than regular Jif. ''Reduced Fat Jif'' was introduced three years later in 1994.<ref name="JifHistory"/>

There are 9 different kinds of Jif Peanut Butter:<ref>{{cite web|title=Jif Product Page|url=https://www.jif.com/peanut-butter|website=www.jif.com|publisher=Jif}}</ref>
{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}
* Creamy
* Extra Crunchy
* No Sugar Added Creamy
* Simply Jif Creamy (low sodium and sugar)
* Omega-3 Creamy
* Reduced Fat Creamy
* Natural Creamy
* Natural Honey Creamy
* Natural Crunchy
{{colend}}

Jif is also available in a three-pack and an eight-pack of 1.5-ounce individual servings of Jif peanut butter, sold under the name "Jif to Go". In 2014, Jif introduced a peanut butter-flavored [[breakfast cereal]] (manufactured under license by [[Kellogg's]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Kellogg's Launches New Cereals, Expands Snack & Frozen Food Lineup |url=https://fabnews.live/kelloggs-launches-new-cereals-expands-snack-frozen-food-lineup/ |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=FAB News}}</ref> On May 7, 2012, Jif announced a new line of [[hazelnut]] spreads, to be produced in Chocolate and Mocha Cappuccino flavors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Peanut Butter Brand Jif to Launch Line of Hazelnut Spreads|date=May 7, 2012 |publisher=Foodbeast.com|access-date=May 7, 2012|url=https://foodbeast.com/content/2012/05/07/peanut-butter-brand-jif-to-launch-line-of-hazelnut-spreads/}}</ref> In addition, Jif also makes [[almond butter]] and [[cashew butter]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Jif Whipped Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter |url=https://www.foodprocessing.com/new-food-products/product/11332470/jm-smucker-co-new-food-products-jif-spreads-the-taste-with-whipped-peanut-butter-almond-butter-and-cashew-butter |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=Food Processing |date=2013-10-22 |language=en}}</ref>

All variants of Jif are produced at a facility in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], which is the largest peanut butter production facility in the world,<ref>{{cite news |first1=Dustin |last1=Massengill |title=National Peanut Butter Day: 10 facts about Kentucky's own Jif |url=https://fox56news.com/news/local/10-facts-about-kentuckys-own-jif-peanut-butter/ |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=FOX 56 News |date=2024-01-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Allison |last1=White |title=15 Facts That Make Lexington Unique |url=https://www.visitlex.com/guides/post/15-facts-that-make-lexington-unique/ |accessdate=2025-06-18 |work=www.visitlex.com |date=2020-07-10}}</ref> and a smaller facility in Memphis TN whose products were not affected by the 2022 recall.<ref name="FUNTIDBITS">{{cite web | title=Fun Tidbits | publisher=[[The J.M. Smucker Company]] | access-date=December 28, 2007 | url=http://www.jif.com/aboutjif/aj_tidbits.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328233648/http://www.jif.com/aboutjif/aj_tidbits.asp |archive-date=March 28, 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.jif.com/}}

{{Smucker's}}

[[Category:Peanut butter brands]]
[[Category:The J.M. Smucker Co. brands]]
[[Category:Former Procter & Gamble brands]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1958]]
[[Category:Companies based in Lexington, Kentucky]]