If you're a fan of the rich, tangy flavor that cultured butter brings to the table, you might be wondering which brands are worth trying. Cultured butter, known for its European-style taste and creamy texture, is increasingly gaining popularity among home cooks and gourmet chefs alike. Some brands stand out for their commitment to high-quality ingredients and traditional churning processes, offering a pure and delectable butter experience. Whether you're looking for a brand with a classic taste or something more adventurous, explore the options below to find your new favorite cultured butter.
Illustration of cultured butter
Best brands of cultured butter in 2025
Plugrá
Plugra, although not actually a cultured butter, is often mistaken for one due to its rich, cultured flavor and aroma, which are achieved through the addition of lactic starter distillate. It boasts a high butterfat content of 82%, making it ideal for baking and cooking. Produced by Dairy Farmers of America, Plugra is known for its smooth, firm, and pliable consistency, free of excess moisture. Despite not being cultured, it mimics the characteristics of European-style butters, making it a favorite among bakers and chefs. In 2023, Plugra continued to expand its product line, including innovations like spreadable butter with olive oil and sea salt. For more information, visit the official Plugra website.
Kerrygold
Kerrygold is a leading producer of high-quality cultured butter, known for its rich, tangy flavor derived from the milk of Irish grass-fed cows. The brand has seen significant growth, with a 137.3% increase in dollar sales for its butter blends in 2022, and it is now the number two butter brand in the USA. Kerrygold's products are free from artificial flavors and preservatives, and the brand is synonymous with quality, having reached $1 billion in annual sales by 2019. The introduction of new products, such as the 1LB Salted and Unsalted Butter Sticks, has further enhanced its market presence. Cultured butter, which Kerrygold specializes in, holds a dominant market share of over 63.5% due to its rich flavor and potential health benefits.
Vermont Creamery
Vermont Creamery is renowned as one of the best producers of cultured butter, leveraging a 38-year heritage of artisanal expertise. Founded in 1984 by Allison Hooper and Bob Reese, the company has expanded its operations significantly, now boasting almost 100,000 square feet of production space and employing 103 people. Vermont Creamery's cultured butter is made with pasteurized cream that is fermented for over 20 hours to optimize diacetyl content, resulting in a rich flavor with notes of hazelnut and buttermilk, and an 82% butterfat content. This European-style butter is crafted in small batches and has become a staple in high-end culinary circles. The company's commitment to quality and innovation has made its products, including the unsalted and salted cultured butter, highly sought after. For more information, explore their sea salt cultured butter.
Président
President is renowned as one of the best producers of cultured butter, particularly in France where it is the number one butter brand. Made from high-quality, rBST-free cultured cream derived from grass-fed cows in regions known for rich soil and lush pastures, President butter boasts a distinctive, tangy, and nutty flavor. With over 50 years of existence, President butter is sold internationally in 160 different countries. It offers excellent plasticity for baking and a high smoke point for frying and sauteing, making it versatile for various culinary applications. Available in various formats, including unsalted and salted variants, President Professionnel Cultured Culinary Butter is trusted by the foodservice industry worldwide.
Straus Family Creamery
Straus Family Creamery is renowned for its high-quality, organic, and non-GMO dairy products, particularly its cultured butter, which boasts an impressive 85% butterfat content, making it one of the richest and best butters available. Established in 1994, the creamery processes about 16,000 gallons of milk daily and has expanded its product lines to include various yogurt, ice cream, and milk products. The company's commitment to sustainability and local farming is evident in its partnerships with nearby organic dairy farms and its waste-reducing measures. Straus Family Creamery's products have garnered numerous awards, including gold medals at the L.A. International Dairy Competition and the American Cheese Society. The creamery is set to expand its operations with a new 40,000 square foot processing facility.
Saint Benoît Creamery
Saint Benoit Creamery is renowned for its high-quality, artisanal dairy products, including cultured butter made from the milk of pasture-fed Jersey cows. The creamery, located in Sonoma County, began transforming an old milking parlor into their new facility in 2008, emphasizing sustainability and environmental friendliness. Their products are free from thickeners, stabilizers, and preservatives, using only whole milk and traditional yogurt cultures from France. The creamery's commitment to organic and locally sourced ingredients ensures a rich, creamy texture and subtle flavor profile. This attention to detail and dedication to quality has made Saint Benoit Creamery a standout in the artisanal dairy industry. For more insights into their French-style yogurt, visit this blog post.
Vital Farms
Vital Farms stands out as a premier producer of cultured butter, leveraging its commitment to pasture-raised cows that are 90% grass-fed, with access to the outdoors for an average of 200 days a year. This approach results in rich, high-quality cream that is churned into deliciously golden butter. Founded in 2007, Vital Farms has expanded its product line while maintaining a strong focus on ethical and sustainable farming practices, working with over 375 small family farms. The company's products are sold in major retailers such as Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, Target, and Whole Foods, and it has achieved significant revenue growth, including a 31.3% increase in net revenue to $145.0 million in the third quarter of 2024. Vital Farms' dedication to animal welfare and environmental conservation is reflected in its Certified B Corporation status.
84% European Style Cultured Butter
Organic Valley's European Style Cultured Butter, with an 84% butterfat content, stands out as a premium choice for those seeking rich, tangy flavor. This butter is made from pasture-raised milk, allowing for a deeper flavor profile developed through a slower churning process and the addition of bacterial cultures. The higher butterfat content results in less water, making it ideal for baking and cooking. Organic Valley's commitment to organic farming practices ensures no antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or GMOs are used. This product is particularly favored by chefs and connoisseurs for its subtle, distinct flavor without added salt. Discover more about their European Style Cultured Butter.
Bordier
Bordier is renowned as one of the best producers of cultured butter, utilizing traditional 19th-century methods that respect the land, animals, and tradition. The butter is made from the cream of cows from Brittany and Normandy farms that practice organic and sustainable farming, resulting in a rich, tangy flavor. It takes Bordier three days to produce their butter, with the cream culturing and developing flavor for most of that time, unlike regular butter which is made just six hours after milking. For more insights into French fancies like Beurre Bordier, visit their detailed article.
Rodolphe Le Meunier
Rodolphe Le Meunier is a renowned producer of high-quality cultured butter, utilizing traditional French methods that involve churning pasteurized cream in wooden butter churns and hand-molding the butter into distinctive shapes. This fifth-generation cheesemaking family, awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2007, sources milk from grass-fed Normandy cows, resulting in butter with at least 82% butterfat content, which contributes to its rich, intense flavor and creamy texture. The butter-making process includes culturing the cream with lactic acid bacteria, enhancing the flavor with a nutty or tangy taste. This meticulous technique ensures a softer, thicker consistency and a deeper yellow hue due to the grass-fed cows. Rodolphe Le Meunier's butter is highly regarded for its superior quality and flavor profile.
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