Gourmet Treats: Nut Butters

Eight years ago, in his Boulder, Colorado kitchen, Justin Gold took out his food processor and started whipping up small batches of gourmet nut butters. Friends and family loved the 16-ounce jars of gourmet treats and devoured the velvety spreads. Before long, Gold launched all-natural Justin’s Nut Butter, a line that now includes Classic Peanut, Honey Peanut, Cinnamon Peanut, Classic Almond, Honey Almond, and Maple Almond—made with organic ingredients. But since we’re chocoholics, we confess we’re most excited about the new Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Almond, and Chocolate Peanut Butter varieties. “Knowing that other chocolate hazelnut brands have more sugar than cake frosting, I really like that ours has sixty percent less,” Gold points out. Spread on a piece of toast for a decadent breakfast, or just dig right in with a spoon. Ideal for leisurely summer hikes, Justin’s squeeze packs also offer a protein-fueled snack on the go. Gold’s goals, meanwhile, transcend nut butters: He is on a mission to revolutionize food packaging. “My goal is to convert the entire food industry to biodegradable film packaging,” he says. “It’s available, but most companies aren’t using it because it is too expensive. If we can get enough companies to commit to sustainable film, then together we can allow economies of scale to reduce the overall cost for everyone.” www.justins.com – Alia Akkam