National Peanut Board: Gen Z and Millennials Driving Peanut Butter Popularity
The National Peanut Board continues to invest in consumer research to evaluate how well peanut grower marketing dollars are performing—and the latest results show strong momentum, especially among younger generations.
“With 85 percent of the adults having eaten or purchased peanuts in the past month, the findings of a recent study shows that the Gen Z population, that’s 19 through 28 years of age, and the Millennials, 29 through 44, are very important.”
According to the survey, peanuts are now the favorite nut among both Millennials and Gen Z, a major win for an industry working to position peanuts as a healthy, sustainable protein source.
“According to the recent survey, peanuts are now the favorite nut of both Millennials and Gen Z.”
Peanut butter, in particular, has seen a rise in weekly consumption across both age groups. The Millennials (29 to 44 years old) show the most growth.
“The marketing effort shows that 65 percent of the Millennials eat peanut butter at least once per week, up from 59 percent in 2021. And that is the Millennials, which are 29 to 44 years of age.”
“49 percent of the Gen Z, that’s the 19 to 28 Millennials, eat peanut butter at least once per week. And that’s up 44 percent to 49 compared to 44 percent in 2021.”
This consistent rise indicates that targeted peanut marketing campaigns are making headway, especially among consumers who value convenience, taste, and nutrition.
Beyond taste preferences, there’s also growing awareness of peanuts as a sustainable plant-based protein—a key talking point for younger, eco-conscious shoppers.
“Progress is being made in positioning peanuts as a sustainable plant-based protein with the younger generation. 64 percent of the Millennials and 57 percent of the Gen Z believe peanuts are sustainable compared to other protein products.”
These findings confirm that peanuts—and peanut butter consumption trends—are showing long-term market growth, especially among key demographics driving food trends.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.