In a year where consumers looked for shelf-stable, comfort foods to prepare and enjoy at home, it’s not surprising that Canadians turned to peanuts and peanut butter. With a robust nutrition and flavour profile, Canadians found ways to incorporate the powerful peanut into different meal, snack, and dessert occasions. In fact, Google Trends notes a surge in peanut butter-inspired recipes, specifically peanut butter cookies, based on the season and world events, which saw consumers spending more time at home and baking. April 2020 alone saw 165,000 searches for “peanut butter cookie recipe”.
To mark a year like no other, the Peanut Bureau of Canada has once again conducted annual market research to learn about the perceptions Canadians have of peanuts and peanut butter. Here are the Canadian consumption highlights from 2020:
- 60% of Canadians report heavy peanut butter consumption (at least once per week)
- Overall peanut butter consumption in Canadian households remains high at 94%
- Overall peanut consumption was 95% in 2020
- Nearly all Canadian households consume peanuts:
- 95% of households eat peanuts at least every few months
- 41% eat peanuts at least once per week
- 56% of households have peanuts on-hand
- Nearly all Canadian households consume peanut butter:
- 94% of households consume peanut butter at least every few months
- 60% eat peanut butter at least once per week
- 85% of households have peanut butter on-hand
- 77% say peanut butter is a staple in their pantry
- 90% of Canadians think peanuts and peanut butter are healthy/nutritious
- Canadians think peanuts (80%) and peanut butter (83%) satisfy hunger
- 64% of Canadians regularly snack on peanuts, making them the second most preferred snack food, after chips
- More than 1 in 5 Canadians (21%) prefer peanuts over all other snacks – up from 18% in 2019
- 42% frequently use peanut butter as an ingredient in meals, and 26% frequently use peanuts in their meals
Source: Erickson Research, 2021