I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! is a margarine and spread brand positioned as an alternative to conventional butter. The brand was developed in 1979 by the J.H. Filbert Company in Baltimore, Maryland, initially for the food-service sector. Its deliberately emphatic name reportedly came from a company secretary's husband, who used the phrase while tasting the product. Retail distribution began in 1981, turning a food-service formulation into a consumer brand built around the claim that its taste and practical uses could closely resemble those of butter. Unilever acquired the J.H. Filbert Company in 1986 and subsequently expanded the brand beyond its original Washington, D.C.–Baltimore-area base. National distribution across the United States followed in 1988, while expansion into the United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico took place in 1991. The brand later entered Germany in 2011 and Chile in 2012. This geographic development made I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! one of the more recognizable names in the margarine and butter-substitute category, although the brand's exact portfolio and availability have varied by market. The core range has included regular and light spreads, generally intended for bread, toast, cooking, and baking. The brand has also been used for a liquid butter substitute sold in a spray bottle. That product is described as an emulsion of vegetable oil and water with a small amount of butter flavor derived from buttermilk, and has been marketed in the United States as containing zero fat and zero calories per serving under its labeling formulation. In 2017, Unilever announced vegan and organic variants, extending the brand into consumer segments concerned with animal-free products and organic ingredients. Marketing has been central to the brand's identity. Italian-American model and actor Fabio Lanzoni became a long-running celebrity spokesman in 1994. In many commercials, his characteristic contribution was an emphatic delivery of the brand name, reinforcing the theatrical disbelief expressed by the trademark. The campaign helped connect the product's unusual name with a recognizable personality and gave the brand a durable place in popular advertising culture. The brand achieved substantial U.S. sales in the mid-2000s, but later faced pressure as consumer preferences and the broader relationship between butter, margarine, and spreadable oils changed. Reported Information Resources data placed the brand at the top of its U.S. margarine, butter-blend, and spread category in 2005. Later reporting indicated a decline in brand sales by 2012, even as the wider margarine category grew modestly. Reported 2016 U.S. sales were $248.4 million for the standard product and $47.7 million for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light. In January 2017, Unilever changed the United Kingdom branding to “I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!” to emphasize versatility. The revised name attracted confusion and ridicule in some media coverage, was shortened to “I Can't Believe It's So Good...,” and was ultimately replaced by the original branding in November 2019. In 2018, Unilever sold its margarine and spreads business, including I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, to investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $8.04 billion. The business became part of Flora Food Group, the standalone spreads company created through that transaction. The brand therefore remains associated with a long-established butter alternative, while operating within a portfolio focused on spreads and plant-based food products.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! originated in Baltimore, Maryland, where the J.H. Filbert Company developed the product in 1979. The original objective was commercial rather than purely consumer-facing: the product was formulated as a lower-cost alternative to butter for food-service customers. Its distinctive name was reportedly inspired by a tasting reaction from the husband of a company secretary. That phrase became the basis for a brand identity centered on surprise, imitation, and the claim that the product could perform like butter despite being a margarine or spread. The brand entered retail sales in 1981. At first, distribution was concentrated largely in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area. Unilever acquired the J.H. Filbert Company in 1986, providing the resources and distribution network to turn a regional product into a national brand. In 1988, Unilever expanded sales throughout the United States. International growth followed in 1991, when the product was introduced in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico. Germany was added in 2011 and Chile in 2012. Its portfolio developed beyond a basic tub spread. Regular and light versions served everyday spreading and cooking occasions, while a liquid spray product offered a different format based on vegetable oil and water with butter flavor. In 2017, the brand added announced vegan and organic variants, reflecting the increasing importance of animal-free and organic propositions in the spreads category. Product claims and formulations have differed by market, so individual pack specifications should not be treated as universal across countries. Advertising helped make the name memorable. Fabio Lanzoni became the brand's celebrity spokesman in 1994 and appeared in numerous commercials. His stylized delivery of the brand name became a recurring creative device, linking a celebrity persona with the product's central joke and strengthening recognition over a long period. The brand's commercial position changed as consumers reconsidered the relative roles of butter, margarine, and spreadable oils. In 2005, reported U.S. research placed I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! first in a category covering margarines, butter blends, and spreads, with reported sales of $244.7 million for the 52 weeks ending July 10. By 2012, Euromonitor reporting indicated that the brand's sales had fallen 3.9 percent even though the broader margarine segment had grown 1.1 percent. Reported 2016 U.S. sales were $248.4 million for the main brand and $47.7 million for the Light product. These figures are historical and market-specific rather than current global financial data. In January 2017, Unilever tried to reposition the UK product around versatility by changing the name to “I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!” The name was subsequently shortened to “I Can't Believe It's So Good...” after widespread puzzlement and derision, and the original name returned in November 2019. In 2018, Unilever divested its margarine and spreads operations to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in a transaction reported at US$8.04 billion. The acquired business became Flora Food Group, taking I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! with it. The brand's documented history thus spans food-service origins, mass-market expansion, celebrity advertising, portfolio innovation, a contested rebrand, and separation from its former multinational parent.

• 2019

  Original UK name restored

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  The original brand name returned in the United Kingdom after the “It's So Good” rebranding.

• 2018

  Spreads business sold to KKR

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Unilever sold its margarine and spreads business, including this brand, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

• 2017

  Vegan and organic varieties announced

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Unilever announced “It's Vegan” and “It's Organic” varieties under the brand.

• 2012

  Chilean market launch

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  The product was introduced in Chile.

• 2011

  German market launch

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  The product was introduced in Germany.

• 1994

  Fabio became celebrity spokesman

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Fabio began appearing in the brand's advertising and became its best-known long-term celebrity representative.

• 1991

  Expansion into the United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  The brand entered three additional national markets.

• 1988

  United States distribution expanded nationally

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Unilever expanded the brand from its initial regional availability across the United States.

• 1986

  Acquired by Unilever

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Unilever acquired the J.H. Filbert Company and the brand.

• 1981

  Retail launch

  [1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  The product became available to retail consumers after its initial food-service development.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A convenient, flavorful alternative to butter, combining spreadability and cooking versatility with plant-based or reduced-fat product propositions.

• Margarine spread · 1981

  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Original

  The standard spread is the brand's core offering. It is marketed as a butter substitute for spreading on bread and toast and for use in cooking and baking. The product belongs to the margarine and vegetable-oil spread category rather than being dairy butter.

• Reduced-fat spread

  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Light

  The Light variant extends the main spread proposition to consumers seeking a lower-calorie or reduced-fat alternative. It has been sold as a separate branded line and was included in reported U.S. sales figures for 2016.

• Liquid butter substitute

  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray

  The spray product is a liquid emulsion of vegetable oil in water with a hint of butter flavor derived from buttermilk. It is packaged in a spray bottle and has been marketed for applying a butter-like flavor to food while making zero-calorie and zero-fat claims under its stated serving and labeling formulation.

• Vegan spread · 2017

  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! It's Vegan

  Announced in 2017, the vegan variety broadened the brand toward consumers avoiding dairy and other animal-derived ingredients. The source material identifies the launch announcement but does not provide a complete formulation or a universal market-availability record.

• Organic spread · 2017

  I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! It's Organic

  Announced alongside the vegan variety in 2017, the organic line was intended to address demand for products positioned around organic ingredients. Detailed country-by-country formulation and availability information is not established in the supplied sources.

• 2017UK versatility rebrand

  United Kingdom

  The UK brand was renamed “I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!” to communicate that the spread could be used across a wide range of food occasions.

  Outcome. The change drew puzzlement and derision, was shortened to “I Can't Believe It's So Good...,” and the original name was restored in 2019.

  Source
• 1994Fabio celebrity advertising

  United States · United Kingdom

  Fabio became the brand's recurring celebrity spokesman. The commercials typically used his emphatic delivery of the brand name as the principal verbal joke, turning the product name into a recognizable advertising signature.

  Outcome. The association made Fabio a durable part of the brand's public identity.

  Source

• 2018

  Transfer the brand to Flora Food GroupM&A

  Background

  Unilever decided to divest its margarine and spreads business.

  Action taken

  The business, including I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, was sold to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for a reported US$8.04 billion.

  Aftermath

  The brand became part of Flora Food Group, separating it from Unilever's corporate portfolio.

  Transaction value. US$8.04 billion (2018 transaction)

  Source

• 2017

  Add vegan and organic varietiesProduct launch

  Background

  The existing margarine and spread portfolio was extended toward dietary and ingredient-based consumer propositions.

  Action taken

  Unilever announced “It's Vegan” and “It's Organic” varieties.

  Aftermath

  The announcements broadened the brand's stated positioning, although the supplied material does not document their full market performance.

  Source

• 2017

  Change the UK brand nameStrategy

  Background

  Unilever sought to make the product's versatility more explicit in the United Kingdom.

  Action taken

  The name was changed to “I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!” and later shortened.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand received negative or mocking media attention, and the original name was reinstated in November 2019.

  Source

• 1988

  Expand United States distribution nationallyStrategy

  Background

  The product had initially been concentrated in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore area after its retail introduction.

  Action taken

  Following Unilever's acquisition of the J.H. Filbert Company, distribution was expanded across the United States.

  Aftermath

  The move established the brand as a national consumer product rather than a primarily regional spread.

  Source

• 2019

  Original UK branding restored[1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The United Kingdom market returned to the original I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! branding after the 2017 “It's So Good” naming experiment.

• 2018

  Unilever sells margarine and spreads business to KKR[1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Unilever sold its margarine and spreads business, including I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for a reported US$8.04 billion.

• 2017

  Unilever announces vegan and organic I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! varieties[1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Unilever announced new vegan and organic varieties, broadening the brand's range beyond its established margarine and light-spread products.

• 2017

  UK brand name changed to emphasize versatility[1]I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The United Kingdom presentation was changed to “I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!” and later shortened after the repositioning attracted public puzzlement and criticism.

1. 1I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!en.wikipedia.org