Butter and creamers might not land a starring role on the plate or in the bowl like their cheese and ice cream dairy cousins, but they are important and versatile supporting actors.

As consumers are seeking easier ways to add flavor to meals and snacks with fresh ingredients, Challenge Butter says it designed the offerings for topping, dipping, spreading, slathering, sautéeing and more.

Truly Grass Fed, a Dublin-based Glanbia brand that produces premium, sustainably produced dairy products, says it added naturally spreadable butter tubs to its line of grass-fed butter and cheese products retailing in the United States.

Grassland Dairy Products Inc., the largest privately owned butter producer in North America, said it completed the acquisition of Chicago-based Medlee Foods LLC.

Family-owned Minerva Dairy, Minerva, Ohio, says it released two limited-edition flavors available exclusively through Goldbelly for nationwide shipping and at Kishman’s IGA, located a brief walk from the Minerva Dairy Creamery in Northeast Ohio.

Challenge, a brand of Dublin, Calif.-based Challenge Dairy Products Inc., says it launched spreadable butter with avocado oil. 

While butter sales usually increase during the holidays, the pandemic, which spiked a rebirth of home cooking, has also caused butter sales to grow significantly year-round, according to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

With many U.S. consumers picking up cooking/baking at home during COVID-19 shutdowns, the butter category seemed to be on easy street in 2020. But this year, the category is facing hazards on the road.

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced the launch of an October consumer promotion focused on "Real California Butter" as the foundation of the fall baking season.

Truly Grass Fed, a Dublin-based dairy brand of Glanbia Ireland, said it joined 1% for the Planet, and will donate 1% of its annual revenue to Slow Food USA, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming how people produce, consume and enjoy food.