Peanut Butter & Co.

Last updated

Peanut Butter & Co. is a peanut butter brand based in New York City. Founded in 1998 by Lee Zalben, [1] from 1998 to 2016, the company operated a sandwich shop in Greenwich Village, [2] [3] which sold gourmet peanut butter sandwiches for $5. [4] The company by 1999 was selling a line of peanut butter to supermarkets featuring ten "all natural" flavors and from peanuts grown by farmers in the United States. [5] In 2005 the company published The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook. [6]

Contents

History

The former location of the Peanut Butter & Co. sandwich shop, near Washington Square Park. Peanut butter co.jpg
The former location of the Peanut Butter & Co. sandwich shop, near Washington Square Park.

Founder Lee Zalben graduated from Vassar College in 1995 [7] and after a short time in the advertising and publishing industries he opened the Manhattan store on December 21, 1998.[ citation needed ] Zalben has stated that he began working with peanut butter due to a childhood love of it. [8] [9] From 1998 to 2016, the company operated a sandwich shop in Greenwich Village, New York City. [10] [3] Its menu primarily consisted of peanut butter sandwiches and other items made with peanut butter, [11] [12] with gourmet peanut butter sandwiches sold for $5. [4] Each sandwich was available in a dozen varieties, with ingredients such as bacon, honey, banana, [13] spicy peanut butter, and grilled chicken. [14] According to Eater, it was a "single menu restaurant pioneer" for its focus on peanut butter sandwiches, and "paved the way for cutesy comfort food specialists like Rice to Riches, Insomnia Cookies, Meltshop, and Puddin' By Clio (RIP)." [15]

In 2003, the company expanded into retail distribution, selling ten varieties in the US and Canada, at franchises including Kroger, Safeway, Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods. [16] In 2005 the company published The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, which has numerous recipes for using peanut butter. [6] The foreword of the book was written by Jerry Seinfeld, as he'd had an item named after him: Jerry Seinfeld's Comedy Special, which was a toasted bagel with peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon. [13] By 2010, the shop served around 100,000 people each year. [13] Peanut Butter & Co. was the title sponsor of the Team TWENTY12 women's pro cycling team for 2011. [17] The New York restaurant closed in 2016, although the brand remains active with a line of jarred peanut butters. [15]

Products

It sells peanut butter, spreads, powders, and snack items. [18] By 1999 it was selling a line of peanut butter to supermarkets featuring ten "all natural" flavors and from peanuts grown by farmers in the United States. [5] A decade later, the company also sold flavors like White Chocolate Wonderful and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl in around 15,000 supermarkets in the United States. [19]

In 2010, the restaurant sold a lunchbox special - options for sandwiches included whole or white bread, crunchy or smooth, crusts on or off, type of preserves, etc. There were also items such as flavored milk, "ants on a log," and other "food as nostalgia" items. Each sandwich was available in a dozen varieties, with ingredients such as bacon, honey, and banana. [13] Former sandwich items have included spicy peanut butter on The Heat is On, which also had grilled chicken and pineapple jam. [14] Others were Et Tu Peanut Butter with romaine and anchovies, and Movie Night with M&M's and popcorn. [19]

Several of the company's products have been praised by publications such as Men's Health . [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of New England</span> Northeastern US food culture

New England cuisine is an American cuisine which originated in the New England region of the United States, and traces its roots to traditional English cuisine and Native American cuisine of the Abenaki, Narragansett, Niantic, Wabanaki, Wampanoag, and other native peoples. It also includes influences from Irish, French-Canadian, Italian, and Portuguese cuisine, among others. It is characterized by extensive use of potatoes, beans, dairy products and seafood, resulting from its historical reliance on its seaports and fishing industry. Corn, the major crop historically grown by Native American tribes in New England, continues to be grown in all New England states, primarily as sweet corn although flint corn is grown as well. It is traditionally used in hasty puddings, cornbreads and corn chowders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peanut butter</span> Paste made from ground peanuts

Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground, dry-roasted peanuts. It commonly contains additional ingredients that modify the taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners, or emulsifiers. Consumed in many countries, it is the most commonly used of the nut butters, a group that also includes cashew butter and almond butter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delicatessen</span> Shop selling cured meats and sausages, expensive cheeses, caviar, or luxury confectionery

Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a grocery that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessens originated in Germany during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the mid-19th century. European immigrants to the United States, especially Ashkenazi Jews, popularized the delicatessen in U.S. culture beginning in the late 19th century. Today, many large retail stores like supermarkets have deli sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planters</span> Snack food brand specializing in peanuts

Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentile for a 1916 contest to design the company's brand icon. The design was modified by a commercial artist and has continued to change over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The J.M. Smucker Company</span> American food and beverage manufacturer

The J.M. Smucker Company, also known as Smuckers, is an American manufacturer of food and beverage products. Headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, the company was founded in 1897 as a maker of apple butter. J.M. Smucker currently has three major business units: consumer foods, pet foods, and coffee. Its flagship brand, Smucker's, produces fruit preserves, peanut butter, syrups, frozen crustless sandwiches, and ice cream toppings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fudge</span> Type of sugar candy

Fudge is a type of dessert bar that is made by mixing sugar, butter and milk. It has its origins in the 17th century United Kingdom, and was popular in the women's colleges of the time. Fudge can come in a variety of flavorings depending on the region or country it was made; popular flavors include fruit, nut, chocolate and caramel. Fudge is often bought as a gift from a gift shop in tourist areas and attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grilled cheese</span> Type of hot melted cheese sandwich

A grilled cheese, sometimes known as a toasted sandwich, cheese toastie (UK), or jaffle (AU-en), is a hot cheese sandwich typically prepared by heating slices of cheese between slices of bread with a cooking fat such as butter or mayonnaise on a frying pan, griddle, or sandwich toaster, until the bread browns and the cheese melts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reese's Peanut Butter Cups</span> American candy made by Hersheys

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an American candy by the Hershey Company consisting of a peanut butter filling encased in chocolate. They were created on November 15, 1928, by H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Milton S. Hershey. Reese was let go from his job with Hershey when the Round Barn which he managed was shut down for cost-saving measures. He subsequently decided to start his own candy business. Reese's are a top-selling candy brand worldwide, with $3.1 billion in annual sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sealed crustless sandwich</span> Filled sandwich with crimp-sealed bread

A sealed crustless sandwich consists of a filling between two layers of crimp-sealed bread, with the crust removed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fluffernutter</span> Sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme

A fluffernutter is a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme usually served on white bread. Variations of the sandwich include the substitution of wheat bread and the addition of various sweet, salty, and savory ingredients. The term fluffernutter can also be used to describe other food items, primarily desserts, that incorporate peanut butter and marshmallow creme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chock full o'Nuts</span> American coffee brand

Chock full o'Nuts is an American brand of coffee that originated from a chain of New York City coffee shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Philadelphia</span> Popular foods of Philadelphia

The cuisine of Philadelphia was shaped largely by the city's mixture of ethnicities, available foodstuffs and history. Certain foods have become associated with the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fool's Gold Loaf</span> Sandwich enjoyed by Elvis Presley

Fool's Gold Loaf is a sandwich made by the Colorado Mine Company, a restaurant in Denver, Colorado. It consists of a single warmed, hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with the contents of one jar of creamy peanut butter, one jar of grape jelly, and one pound (454 g) of bacon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gristedes</span> New York City-based chain of supermarkets

Gristedes is a New York City–based chain of supermarkets. It serves a mostly urban customer base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich</span> Sandwich popularized by Elvis Presley

The peanut butter and banana sandwich (PB&B), or peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich (PB,B&B), sometimes referred to as an Elvis sandwich, the Velvet Elvis, or simply the Elvis, is a sandwich with toasted bread, peanut butter, sliced or mashed banana, and occasionally bacon. Honey or jelly is seen in some variations of the sandwich. The sandwich is frequently cooked in a pan or on a griddle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin's</span> American foods brand

Justin's is an American brand of natural and organic nut butters and peanut butter cups. The Boulder-based company manufactures and markets jars and single-serve squeeze packs of nut butter, along with various kinds of organic peanut butter cups. Justin's peanut butter cups are USDA-certified organic and use Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa. Both the peanut butter cups and nut butters are distributed through stores such as Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, Sprouts Farmers Market, Starbucks, and Target in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antone's Famous Po' Boys</span> Restaurant in Texas, United States

Antone's Famous Po' Boys, formerly Antone's Import Company, is a sandwich shop chain based in Houston, Texas. Established by Jalal Antone, an American of Lebanese and Syrian descent, it grew to having fifteen locations and having products distributed throughout the Southern United States, but was beset by ownership disputes within the surviving family in the 1990s. Legacy Restaurants now owns the trademark and operates all restaurants with the name. From circa the 1990s until 2018 several shops franchising the Antone's name were operated as the Original Antone's Import Company.

References

  1. ↑ Carter, Sylvia (September 8, 1999). "In the House where Lee Zalben". Newsday. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop". Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Periera, Ivan (February 22, 2016). "Peanut Butter & Co. closes after 17 years". amNewYork . Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "A Lunch-box Staple Goes Upscale - Gourmet Peanut Butter Sandwiches Start at $5 in New York City". The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 28, 1999. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Fabricant, Florence (January 13, 1999). "Fresh Peanut Butter To Spread Around". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Eat This, Not That". Rodale, Inc. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Vassar's Own "Peanut Butter Guy" - Vassar, the Alumnae/i Quarterly". vq.vassar.edu. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  8. ↑ Collier, Brooke (May 24, 2007). "A tough nut to crack". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ Lippman, Laura (January 31, 2000). "Smooth or chunky, hold the crust". The Sun. Retrieved June 25, 2013.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop". Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  11. ↑ Williams, Monte (June 20, 1999). "Paean to Peanut Butter; A Restaurant Gives Lunch Time a Lunch Box Flavor". NY Times. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  12. ↑ "PB By Mail Order, For a Grown-Up Love". Miami Herald. October 2, 2003.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Gershenson, Gabriella (March 6, 2010), "A Boxed Lunch at Peanut Butter & Co", Edible Manhattan
  14. 1 2 "Lee Zalben", Money Inc, July 27, 2019
  15. 1 2 Morabito, Greg (March 2, 2016), "Peanut Butter & Co. Kicks the Bucket, McInnis's SOBE Spat, and More Intel", Eater
  16. ↑ "Lee Zalben", Serious Eats
  17. ↑ Frattini, Kirsten (November 2, 2011), "Exergy Twenty12 announces full roster", Cycling News
  18. ↑ Lee, Allen (July 27, 2019), "10 Things You Didn't Know About Lee Zalben", Money Inc
  19. 1 2 Elbaum, Rachel (June 17, 2011), "Makeover! Peanut butter sandwiches get wild new look", Today
  20. ↑ "Sandwich Paradises". Travel Channel.

40°43′47.5″N73°59′58.8″W / 40.729861°N 73.999667°W / 40.729861; -73.999667

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.