Vermont Creamery Crème Fraîche, the French-style culinary cream used by professional chefs, is aiming to become an essential kitchen staple for increasingly ambitious home cooks looking for more complex recipes and ingredients.
In March, Americans made a marked return to their kitchens, rediscovering from-scratch cooking, baking and above all – comfort. A global pandemic forced a shift to more purposeful shopping behaviors and more thoughtful, elaborate meal preparation.
According to an April Hunter poll – 54% of Americans surveyed report they are cooking more since the pandemic, with a 50% increase in their cooking confidence, and notably, 44% reporting that they have discovered new ingredients.
But consumers aren’t just looking for a new challenge – they’re looking for products that offer versatility across multiple applications, and not surprisingly, a forgiving shelf life.
Vermont Creamery culinary creams like crème fraîche and mascarpone are uniquely positioned to deliver on this compelling consumer trend. Crème fraîche is a true work horse in the kitchen; the closest cousin to cultured butter, it is a thick and rich cultured cream boasting 42% butterfat, that adds depth of flavor and decadence to any dish – sweet or savory.
Vermont Creamery pioneered crème fraîche in the United States in the mid 1980s, first among professional chefs and then home cooks and is now the #1 consumer crème fraîche brand nationwide.
Its high butterfat means it won’t break at high heat or when it encounters acidity, setting it up for success in hot soups, stews, pan sauces and baked goods. Crème fraiche can be used in any recipe that calls for sour cream but soars above it in terms of its flavor contribution. Made with fresh Vermont cream, Crème fraîche is cultured for 24 hours, creating a thick, spoonable texture and rich flavor notes of hazelnut.
Crème fraiche sales have seen double digit growth over the past year, as consumer habits change, and new consumers embrace it as a culinary staple; with a 39% increase in buyers, while volume sales have increased over 18% since last year, according to recent IRI data*.
Vermont Creamery is gearing up to meet the demand for crème fraîche over a predictably early and prolonged holiday season; consumers are primed and ready to delight in the versatility and utility of the beloved culinary cream that’s consciously crafted in Vermont.
“As stakeholders in a vital food system, Vermont Creamery has proudly answered the call for solace and comfort through food – keeping our consciously crafted dairy on shelves, doing our part to sustain and inspire home cooks,” said Adeline Druart, president of Vermont Creamery. “As we approach the holiday season, we know that our loyal home cooks will continue to lean into their cookbooks, while our churns keep running to meet the demand.”
In addition to superlative quality and depth of flavor, consumers continue to demonstrate that product provenance is important to them; as a Certified B Corp, Vermont Creamery are legacy makers of consciously crafted dairy. Made with fresh cream from Vermont farms, Vermont Creamery crème fraiche boasts a clean label and sustainable packaging that consumers can feel good about. To read about Vermont Creamery’s commitment to sustainability in business, read the 2019 Mission Report.
About Vermont Creamery
Consciously crafted in Vermont’s green mountains, Vermont Creamery’s line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won hundreds of national and international awards. In their 33rd year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 17 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery has been ranked one of “The Best Places to Work in Vermont,” by Vermont Business Magazine. Vermont Creamery is an independently operated subsidiary of Minnesota-based Land ‘O Lakes, Inc., one of America’s premier agribusiness and food companies.
