Soybean Growers Take Aim at Peanut Butter

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Soybean growers hope to widen consumption of the versatile bean with the development of a new soynut butter that looks like peanut butter but has a flavor all its own.

“There will be some resistance because everybody is used to peanut butter, but we will ease into the market,” said Leonard Stuttman, owner of Inari Trading Co., a small Michigan concern that makes soybean products.

“We want to be known as the Carters of the soynut business,” he said, referring to former President Jimmy Carter, whose reputation as a peanut farmer followed him to the White House.

Inari is beginning to offer its soynut butter in bulk to health food stores, food cooperatives and specialty markets.

No Retail-Size Jars

One producer already uses soynut butter as the basis for a snack bar, and a country club chef uses it to make a gourmet soup, Stuttman said.

“We’re not afraid of it--peanut butter is an American way of life,” said Perry Russ, president of the National Peanut Council. “But if it has a major impact, then certainly we’d be concerned--any business is concerned about competition.”

Inari offers its soynut butter in several forms, including a basic spread that resembles peanut butter but lacks its strong taste.

If consumers find that too bland, there is soynut butter with sesame, chocolate-like carob chips, or with pear or apple sweetening, somewhat like peanut butter and jelly rolled into one spread.

“We’ve found that there is a strong consumer preference for soynut butter that is sweetened,” Stuttman said. “We’ve had some fun with it.”

Charles Stein, a professor of food science at Michigan State University, helped Stuttman overcome some technical problems in producing soynut butter and said Inari might be the only company offering it.

“I think the product is quite good now,” said Stein. “When you take a look at the almost unbelievable success of peanut butter, if he could get a couple of percent of that market, it would be significant.”