Jif (peanut butter)
Product brand
UnclaimedJif is an American peanut-butter brand created from the former Big Top brand and now owned by The J.M. Smucker Company.
Last updated October 2, 2026
Overview
Jif is a United States peanut-butter brand owned and produced by The J.M. Smucker Company. Its origins trace to 1946, when William T. Young established a peanut-butter business in Lexington, Kentucky, under the name Big Top. Procter & Gamble acquired the Big Top brand and its Lexington manufacturing operations in 1955, then reformulated and renamed the product Jif. The new brand was announced in 1956 and was developed to compete with established peanut-butter brands including Skippy and Peter Pan. The transition from Big Top to Jif involved changes to both recipe and marketing. Procter & Gamble used oils other than peanut oil in the hydrogenation process and added sugar and molasses, creating a sweeter, smoother profile intended to distinguish the product in the mass grocery market. The brand initially developed through regional testing before expanding more broadly. Jif later became the leading peanut-butter brand in the United States, a position it held for much of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Jif's core range has traditionally centered on creamy and crunchy peanut butter, with the brand extending into additional textures, formulations, package formats, and flavored spreads over time. Its products are associated with household breakfast and snack use, particularly sandwiches, toast, baking, dipping, and recipes. Manufacturing has remained strongly connected to Lexington, where the company operates a major peanut-butter production facility. Brand communication has emphasized taste, family use, and consumer choice. The long-running advertising line “Choosy Mothers Choose Jif,” later adapted to “Choosy Moms Choose Jif,” helped establish a recognizable identity built around selecting a trusted household staple. More recent marketing has presented peanut butter as a versatile ingredient rather than only a sandwich spread. The J.M. Smucker Company acquired the Jif brand from Procter & Gamble around 2001–2002, bringing it into a portfolio that also includes other packaged-food and beverage brands. Jif remains an active consumer food brand, particularly prominent in the United States, while products have also been sold in Canada and other markets. In May 2022, the owner recalled specified Jif peanut-butter products manufactured at the Lexington facility because of potential Salmonella contamination. The recall was a significant food-safety event for the brand, but Jif continues to operate under J.M. Smucker ownership.
History
Jif developed from a peanut-butter operation founded by William T. Young in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1946. The original product was sold under the name Big Top. In 1955, Procter & Gamble purchased Big Top and the associated Lexington manufacturing facilities. P&G viewed the acquisition as an opportunity to build a stronger competitor in the growing packaged peanut-butter category, which included brands such as Skippy and Peter Pan. After the acquisition, P&G changed the product's name and formulation. The new name, Jif, was publicly announced in April 1956 as the product entered market testing. The reformulation used oils other than peanut oil in the hydrogenation process and introduced sugar and molasses, producing a sweeter and smoother product profile. The brand was subsequently expanded beyond its initial test markets and became a nationally recognized grocery brand. Jif's product architecture developed around the principal distinction between creamy and crunchy textures. Over subsequent decades, the brand broadened its offer through additional peanut content and texture variations, natural formulations, different container formats, and later flavored or convenience-oriented products. The Lexington site became a central part of Jif's manufacturing identity and is described in reference material as the world's largest peanut-butter production facility. Marketing played an important role in turning Jif into a household name. The “Choosy Mothers Choose Jif” platform associated the brand with parental selection and family quality. The wording was later modernized to “Choosy Moms Choose Jif,” while newer communication has highlighted uses beyond the traditional peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, including dipping, mixing, sipping, and cooking. Jif became the largest peanut-butter brand in the United States by 1981 and retained that leading position through at least 2008 according to the cited reference material. Ownership changed when The J.M. Smucker Company acquired the brand from Procter & Gamble around 2001–2002. Under Smucker, Jif continued as a major packaged-food brand in the company's portfolio and maintained its strongest presence in the United States, with distribution also reported in Canada and international markets. The principal recent disruption documented in the supplied references occurred in 2022. On May 20, The J.M. Smucker Company announced a recall involving specified Jif products manufactured at Lexington because of potential Salmonella contamination. The incident affected products distributed in the United States and Canada and represents a notable food-safety episode in the brand's history. No further verified executive, financial, or ownership details are established by the supplied material.
- 2022
Salmonella-related product recall
[1]Specified Jif products made at the Lexington facility are recalled in the United States and Canada because of potential Salmonella contamination.
- 2002
The J.M. Smucker Company acquires Jif
[1]The brand moves from Procter & Gamble to The J.M. Smucker Company. Some reference summaries describe the transaction as occurring in 2001; the supplied article identifies 2002.
- 1981
Jif becomes the leading U.S. peanut-butter brand
[1]Reference material identifies Jif as the largest peanut-butter brand in the United States from 1981 onward for a period extending at least through 2008.
- 1956
Jif is introduced
[1]Procter & Gamble publicly announces the Jif name and begins testing the reformulated product in selected markets.
- 1955
Procter & Gamble acquires Big Top
[1]Procter & Gamble purchases Big Top and its Lexington manufacturing facilities from William T. Young.
- 1946
Big Top peanut butter is created
[1]William T. Young establishes the Lexington, Kentucky peanut-butter business that initially sells the product as Big Top.
Products and positioning
A mainstream, family-oriented peanut-butter brand positioned around familiar taste, convenience, versatility, and dependable household use.
Peanut butter · 1956
Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
The brand's smooth-texture core product, designed for spreading on bread and toast and for use in sandwiches, baking, sauces, and snacks. Creamy peanut butter is one of Jif's foundational offerings and represents the mainstream format most closely associated with the brand.
Peanut butter · 1956
Jif Crunchy Peanut Butter
A textured peanut-butter variant containing peanut pieces for consumers who prefer a less-smooth spread. It forms part of Jif's long-standing effort to serve different texture preferences within the conventional peanut-butter category.
Peanut butter · 1976
Jif Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
A more heavily textured variation intended to provide additional peanut pieces and crunch compared with standard crunchy peanut butter. Reference material identifies extra-crunchy products as a later extension of the original range.
Peanut butter · 2009
Jif Natural Peanut Butter
A natural-positioned line developed to address demand for peanut butter with a simpler or more natural product proposition. It extends Jif beyond its traditional stabilized mainstream formulas.
Peanut butter packaging format · 2020
Jif Squeeze
A squeezable packaging format intended to make dispensing peanut butter more convenient for snacks, lunch preparation, and controlled portions. It represents a packaging-led expansion rather than a separate category away from peanut butter.
Flavored spread · 2024
Jif Peanut Butter and Chocolate Flavored Spread
A flavored spread combining the brand's peanut-butter identity with chocolate flavor. The product broadens Jif's use into dessert, snacking, and sweet-spread occasions.
Controversies
2022
Jif peanut-butter recall over potential Salmonella contamination
The J.M. Smucker Company recalled specified Jif peanut-butter products manufactured at its Lexington, Kentucky facility after potential Salmonella contamination. The recall affected products distributed in the United States and Canada and was a significant food-safety event for the brand.
Marketing campaigns
- 1988Choosy Moms Choose Jif
United States
The long-running advertising line was updated from “Mothers” to “Moms,” modernizing the wording while retaining the central message of parental choice.
Outcome. The revised wording preserved continuity with Jif's established family-focused identity.
- 1966Choosy Mothers Choose Jif
United States
Jif introduced the advertising platform “Choosy Mothers Choose Jif,” presenting the brand as a deliberate choice for families and reinforcing its quality-oriented household positioning.
Outcome. The slogan became one of the brand's most recognizable long-running marketing assets.
Brand decisions
2022
Recall of specified Jif productsOtherBackground
Potential Salmonella contamination was associated with specified products manufactured at the Lexington facility.
Action taken
The owner announced a recall covering affected Jif peanut-butter products distributed in the United States and Canada.
Aftermath
The recall became the brand's principal documented recent food-safety incident; Jif remains an active brand.
2002
Sale of Jif to The J.M. Smucker CompanyM&ABackground
Procter & Gamble transferred the Jif brand to The J.M. Smucker Company as part of Smucker's expansion in packaged food.
Action taken
The J.M. Smucker Company acquired Jif and assumed ownership of the brand and its related operations.
Aftermath
Jif became part of Smucker's branded food portfolio and remained active under new ownership.
1955
Reformulation and renaming from Big Top to JifStrategyBackground
After acquiring Big Top, Procter & Gamble sought to compete more effectively with established peanut-butter brands.
Action taken
P&G changed the product name to Jif and altered the recipe, including the use of alternative oils and added sugar and molasses.
Aftermath
The new brand entered testing in 1956 and developed into a major U.S. peanut-butter brand.
Sources1 sources
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