Retail sales of branded butter showed gains on private label butter in the last year. Though dollar sales of private label butter increased 3.4%, unit sales decreased 1.3%, suggesting that retailers raised prices.

Minerva Dairy, Minerva, Ohio, launched a line of flavored butters. The butters feature its Amish Roll Butter in varieties like maplewood smoked, garlic herb, pumpkin spice and maple syrup.

Prosperity Organic Foods Inc., Boise, Idaho, the maker of Melt organic dairy-free buttery spreads, launched Probiotic Melt at the Fancy Food Show in January.

The Scottish Dairy Brand was unveiled at Anuga in November. Dairy processors there will be selling premium dairy products throughout the world.

Butter churners wait in line for cream behind manufacturers of fluid products. With dairies making full-fat varieties of milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream, there is less cream available for butter.

Country Crock, a brand of Englewood Cliff, N.J.-based Unilever, has updated its recipe for its nondairy buttery spreads.