Peanut Butter Sales on the Rebound

ATLANTA—Peanut butter sales are rebounding after this year’s Salmonella outbreak that prompted peanut product recalls and calls for tougher food-safety laws, according to the National Peanut Board.

Marie Fenn, president and managing director of the National Peanut Board, said following a downturn in sales of more than 19 percent in January, compared to year earlier sales volume, February numbers showed the beginning of a recovery.

“The data for March is even more encouraging,” she said. “In March 2009, there was an increase in volume sales of 5.6 percent over March 2008.”

Fenn said peanut butter was never part of the Salmonella-related recall that began in January but confusion “among consumers about what peanut products are safe to eat,” and resulting media coverage tarred peanut butter with the same wide brush that affected the small amount of tainted peanuts that were released into the market.