Meridian
A British natural-food brand best known for nut and seed butters, including palm-oil-free peanut butter.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Meridian is a British natural-food brand whose modern identity is most closely associated with nut and seed butters, especially peanut butter. Its products are presented as simple, plant-based foods made with restrained processing and ingredients, with palm-oil-free formulations and organic choices central to the brand’s positioning. Meridian’s range has also included fruit spreads, sauces, baking and cooking ingredients, sweeteners, yeast extract, and nut-based snacks. The brand is made by 3V Natural Foods, which operates a manufacturing facility in North Wales; SHS Group acquired a majority stake in 3V in 2018. Meridian’s founding date is not consistently stated in available references. The company’s own brand history describes its beginnings in the 1980s, while different trade accounts give 1982 and 1986. Andrew Jedwell is identified in historical trade material as the founder and as the person who made the first peanut butter. Because the year reports conflict, this dossier leaves the founded-year field unset. The brand’s early broader natural and health-food assortment included items such as fruit spreads, nut and seed butters, edible oils, soy sauces, sweeteners, molasses, fruit concentrates, yeast extract, and sauces. Over time, nut butters became its defining category and the principal focus of its consumer marketing. Meridian’s proposition combines everyday versatility with natural-food credentials. Its range includes smooth and crunchy peanut butter, almond and cashew butter, tahini and other seed spreads, organic options, and more recent protein-focused products. The brand says its nut and seed butters are certified palm-oil-free and highlights roasting nuts with their skins on and avoiding unnecessary additions. It also communicates sustainability through sourcing and transport choices. These are brand claims and positioning statements, rather than an independent assessment of the environmental effects of its supply chain. Ownership changed in 2018 when SHS Group acquired a majority shareholding in 3V Natural Foods, the group that includes Meridian. The transaction brought the brand into a larger food and beverage portfolio while retaining it within the 3V operating business. Public sources describe Meridian’s factory as being in North Wales and identify Corwen as a production location; the available evidence does not establish a distinct corporate headquarters for the brand. A significant turning point was the 2020 repositioning and packaging redesign by the agency Bulletproof. The refreshed identity introduced a colorful rainbow-like mark, clearer product differentiation, and a visual language intended to make Meridian’s natural and ethical credentials more visible. The launch coincided with the addition of a larger peanut-butter jar. A later design-effectiveness case study reported improved consumer and retail performance after the redesign; those reported results are time-specific and should not be read as current sales figures. Campaigns have reinforced different aspects of the brand over time. In 2020, the Protect Pongo activity used an orangutan character to connect Meridian’s palm-oil-free message with rainforest protection. In 2022, the Permission to Spoon campaign shifted emphasis toward enjoyment and the indulgent, mood-related appeal of peanut butter, using presenter Josie Gibson and humorous spooning-themed content. Meridian has also promoted its palm-oil-free credentials through advertising, including the Good Tastes Better material on its website. Meridian continues to trade as an active food brand. Its current consumer-facing range includes nut and seed butters, organic products, spreads, and protein-oriented peanut butter. A packaging refresh began rolling out in 2025, emphasizing easy-to-read variety distinctions while the company said the underlying product remained unchanged. The brand’s core markets are the United Kingdom and Ireland; Germany was identified as an export market following the 2020 redesign. The input also includes unrelated satellite-system aliases and a Chinese-domain website that do not fit the food brand, so the identification is provisional and flagged for review.
History
Meridian is a British natural-food brand that developed from a specialist health-food business into a nationally distributed name best known for nut butters. Its published history places its beginnings in the 1980s, and historical trade material identifies Andrew Jedwell as its founder. Sources disagree on the precise founding year: some state 1982, while another historical account gives 1986. The dates are therefore not resolved here. The early story centers on peanut butter, with the founder reportedly producing the first jar, and on an approach that sought to offer wholesome foods to health-conscious consumers. The brand’s early portfolio was broader than its present-day image might suggest. A 2005 account described a range spanning fruit spreads, nut and seed butters, edible oils, soy sauces, sweeteners and molasses, fruit concentrates, yeast extract, and cooking and table sauces. This reflected Meridian’s place in the organic and health-food trade, including products intended for consumers with particular dietary preferences. As consumer interest in nut butters increased, Meridian’s identity narrowed around spreads made from peanuts and other nuts. The brand later expanded into bars and related products, while maintaining organic and natural-food options. Meridian’s product offer is based on familiar pantry foods, with smooth and crunchy peanut butter at its center. Other prominent products include almond and cashew butters, tahini and seed spreads, organic variants, and protein-oriented peanut butter. The company describes its nut and seed butters as palm-oil-free and emphasizes relatively simple recipes. It also highlights roasting nuts with their skins on. The organic range extends beyond butters into products such as fruit spreads, baking essentials, and cooking sauces. These attributes form the brand’s stated positioning; they should not be mistaken for a comprehensive independent evaluation of each product or its supply chain. The company’s ownership and scale changed when SHS Group acquired a majority shareholding in 3V Natural Foods in 2018. Meridian was one of the brands in the 3V portfolio, alongside Rocks. SHS said the acquisition would strengthen its owned-brand portfolio and manufacturing capability. Meridian remained associated with 3V Natural Foods after the transaction. The brand’s products are made at a North Wales factory; company material identifies Corwen as a production location. The available sources do not conclusively identify a separate corporate headquarters for Meridian. In 2020 Meridian undertook a substantial repositioning and packaging redesign with Bulletproof. The work sought to make the brand more distinctive and to connect its packaging more clearly with the brand’s claimed commitments, including avoiding palm oil, shipping rather than flying products, and keeping processing limited. The new identity introduced a rainbow-like mark and a brighter, more optimistic visual language, while product varieties received differentiated colors. The refreshed packs appeared in the UK from May 2020, and the brand also introduced a larger peanut-butter jar. A later design-effectiveness case study reported gains in brand and retail performance following the redesign, as well as expansion into Germany. Those figures describe the case study’s measured period and are not current financial data. Marketing has moved between ethical positioning and enjoyment. Meridian’s 2020 Protect Pongo activity used an orangutan character and rainforest-related storytelling to connect its palm-oil-free claim with environmental concerns. In 2022, following the appointment of creative PR agency Frank, the Permission to Spoon campaign emphasized enjoyment and the experience of eating peanut butter directly from the jar. The campaign featured presenter Josie Gibson and used spooning-themed poses and social content. Meridian has also used the phrase “Good Tastes Better” in consumer-facing material about its peanut butter and palm-oil-free credentials. The brand has continued to develop products and packaging. In 2024 it announced a Protein Smooth Peanut Butter launch in Ireland. In 2025 it began rolling out another packaging refresh, with clearer color coding and shelf differentiation while stating that the product itself had not changed. Meridian’s main stated markets are the United Kingdom and Ireland; Germany is also documented as an export market after the 2020 redesign. It remains active as a consumer food brand. The supplied aliases and website create an identification conflict: some refer to a Russian satellite family or unrelated names, while the country and food-industry clues point to Meridian Foods. This entry covers the UK food brand and should be reviewed against the original intended subject.
- 2025
A further nut-butter packaging refresh begins
[10]The refreshed design uses clearer variety distinctions while the brand states that the product remains the same.
- 2024
Protein Smooth Peanut Butter announced for Ireland
[9]Meridian announced distribution of the product through Tesco Ireland and planned further retail availability.
- 2022
Permission to Spoon campaign launches
[6]The campaign uses playful content to promote the enjoyment of Meridian peanut butter.
- 2020
Meridian relaunches its visual identity
[4]A Bulletproof redesign introduced a rainbow-like brand mark, refreshed packaging, and more visible variety differentiation.
- 2020
Protect Pongo campaign connects the brand to rainforest protection
[6]The campaign used an orangutan character to support Meridian’s palm-oil-free messaging.
- 2018
SHS Group acquires a majority stake in 3V Natural Foods
[2]The transaction brought Meridian, one of 3V’s brands, into the SHS Group portfolio.
- 2005
The brand is described as a broad organic and health-food range
[3]A historical account lists nut and seed butters alongside fruit spreads, oils, sauces, sweeteners, fruit concentrates, and yeast extract.
- 1980
Meridian begins operating in the 1980s
[1]The brand’s own history places its origins in the 1980s. Other sources give conflicting specific years, so an exact founding year is not established.
Products and positioning
A natural-food brand focused on nut and seed butters, with an emphasis on straightforward ingredients, plant-based eating, organic choices, and palm-oil-free products.
Nut butter
Peanut butter
Meridian’s signature category includes smooth and crunchy peanut butter, with organic, salted, larger-format, and protein-focused variants documented across its assortment. The brand emphasizes palm-oil-free recipes and straightforward ingredients. Peanut butter has remained central to both the company’s history and its marketing.
Nut butter
Almond butter
Meridian sells almond butter as part of its wider nut-spread range, including organic options. It sits alongside peanut and cashew butters in the brand’s assortment and extends its offer to consumers seeking alternatives to peanut spreads.
Nut butter
Cashew butter
Smooth cashew butter is one of Meridian’s established specialist spreads. Historical and retail references place it within the brand’s broader family of nut butters, alongside peanut and almond varieties.
Seed butter and spread
Tahini and seed spreads
Meridian’s seed-spread range includes tahini and other seed-based products. Organic light and dark tahini varieties appear in the brand’s current consumer assortment, making this line an extension of its plant-based spread portfolio.
Organic foods
Organic collection
The organic collection includes nut and seed butters, fruit spreads, baking ingredients, and cooking sauces. Meridian describes the range as produced to applicable organic requirements and inspected by registered certification bodies.
Snack bar
Nut-based snack bars
Nut-based bars have been described as part of Meridian’s product development beyond jarred spreads. They extend the brand’s use of nuts into portable snack formats.
Protein-enriched nut butter · 2024
Protein Smooth Peanut Butter
A protein-focused smooth peanut-butter product announced for Irish retail in 2024. The brand described Tesco Ireland as an initial retail destination and indicated that additional distribution would follow.
Controversies
2021
Midwestern Pet Foods recalls pet food products over potential Salmonella contamination
Midwestern Pet Foods recalled certain dog and cat food products after routine sampling indicated that finished products may contain Salmonella. The recall included products under the CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Venture, Unrefined, Sportmix Wholesomes, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportstrail, Sportmix, and Meridian brands; the article reports no human or pet illness reports to date from consumption of the recalled products.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Permission to Spoon
United Kingdom
A playful campaign led by presenter Josie Gibson that encouraged consumers to enjoy Meridian peanut butter by the spoonful, building on the product’s taste and protein positioning.
Outcome. The campaign marked a move from predominantly natural-credential messaging toward more enjoyment-led brand communication; no independently verified quantified outcome is included.
- 2020Protect Pongo
United Kingdom
An environmental campaign built around an orangutan character, linking rainforest-protection messaging with Meridian’s palm-oil-free positioning.
Outcome. The campaign was described as part of the brand’s earlier consumer marketing focused on natural and palm-oil-free attributes; a quantified outcome is not established here.
- 2020Meridian rebrand and sensory brand world
United Kingdom
Bulletproof repositioned and redesigned the brand around its natural-food and sustainability messaging, introducing a colorful rainbow-like identity and new packaging.
Outcome. A later design-effectiveness case study reported improved brand performance and new retail listings during its measured period.
- Good Tastes Better
United Kingdom
Consumer-facing advertising and website material connecting peanut-butter enjoyment with the brand’s palm-oil-free message and orangutan protection.
Brand decisions
2025
Meridian refreshes nut-butter packaging againStrategyBackground
The brand sought to make its natural nut butters easier for shoppers to identify on crowded retail shelves.
Action taken
Meridian began rolling out updated packs with clearer color coding and variety distinctions, while stating that the product remained unchanged.
Aftermath
The refresh was announced as a phased rollout; a complete rollout outcome is not established here.
2024
Meridian introduces Protein Smooth Peanut ButterProduct launchBackground
The launch extended Meridian’s peanut-butter offer with a protein-focused variant for Irish retail.
Action taken
The brand announced the product’s arrival in Tesco Ireland and indicated that further Irish retail distribution was planned.
Aftermath
The available announcement confirms the planned distribution, but does not establish subsequent rollout details.
2020
Meridian repositions the brand around natural credentials and refreshes its packagingStrategyBackground
The previous design was considered dated and insufficiently distinctive as competitors evolved and Meridian sought to communicate its product and ethical attributes more clearly.
Action taken
Meridian worked with Bulletproof on a repositioning and identity redesign featuring a rainbow-like brand symbol, updated typography, clearer range differentiation, and messaging around palm-oil-free products and limited processing.
Aftermath
The new identity launched in the UK in May 2020. A subsequent design-effectiveness case study reported performance gains over its assessed period.
Additional revenue reported in the design-effectiveness case study. £3,783,000 additional revenue against the previous year, as reported for the measured post-redesign period (Reported in 2022 for performance following the 2020 redesign)
2018
SHS Group acquires a majority stake in 3V Natural FoodsM&ABackground
3V Natural Foods owned Meridian and Rocks, and its shareholders sought a partner to support the group’s growth and market reach.
Action taken
SHS Group acquired a majority shareholding in 3V Natural Foods. The transaction value was not disclosed in the cited announcement.
Aftermath
Meridian became part of SHS Group’s owned-brand portfolio through 3V Natural Foods.
Recent events
Meridian and Detroit Eastern Market plan vaccination event partnership[13]
Reported:
Meridian and Detroit Eastern Market announced they were working together to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Meridian members and the public at the Holiday Markets event scheduled for December 19. A free $10 Eastern Market food voucher was offered to eligible vaccinated individuals.
Meridian launches “What if...?” brand campaign[14]
Reported:
Meridian launched a brand awareness campaign called “What if...?” to reinforce its goal of helping members build resilience.
Midwestern Pet Foods recalls products sold under multiple brands[12]
Reported:
Midwestern Pet Foods recalled certain dog and cat food products sold under the listed brands because they may be contaminated with salmonella. The article reports that no human or pet illnesses had been reported to date.
Midwestern Pet Foods recalls pet food products over potential Salmonella contamination[11]
Reported:
Midwestern Pet Foods recalled certain dog and cat food products after routine sampling indicated that finished products may contain Salmonella. The recall included products under the CanineX, Earthborn Holistic, Venture, Unrefined, Sportmix Wholesomes, Pro Pac, Pro Pac Ultimates, Sportstrail, Sportmix, and Meridian brands; the article reports no human or pet illness reports to date from consumption of the recalled products.
TWE licenses several US wine brands to The Wine Group[15]
Reported:
Treasury Wine Estates and The Wine Group entered a long-term licensing agreement under which The Wine Group will source and sell the Beringer Main & Vine, Beringer Founders’ Estate, Coastal Estates and Meridian brands in the Americas.
- Unconfirmed
Meridian adds Gingernut Butter to its product range[16]
Reported:
Meridian added Gingernut Butter to its range of nut butters; the product is available from Meridian’s online shop.
- Unconfirmed
Meridian pledges support for orangutan conservation in Borneo[16]
Reported:
Meridian pledged support to help the conservation charity IAR plant and protect 50,000 trees in Borneo.
Meridian appoints James Kiamos as CEO for its Illinois market[17]
Reported:
Meridian announced James Kiamos’s appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer for Centene’s Illinois market, including Meridian in Illinois and the YouthCare program, effective August 24, 2020.
- Unconfirmed
Jet Linx acquires Meridian aircraft management and air charter business[18]
Reported:
Jet Linx announced that it had acquired Meridian’s Aircraft Management and Air Charter business. The acquisition included a fleet of 23 private aircraft.
Jet Linx announces acquisition of Meridian charter and management business[19]
Reported:
Jet Linx announced its acquisition of Meridian's charter and management business. The deal was to add 23 aircraft to Jet Linx's managed fleet and strengthen its presence at Teterboro Airport.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources22 sources
- 1About Meridian Foodsshop.meridianfoods.co.uk
- 23V / Meridian Sold to SHS Groupspaynelindsay.com
- 3The Meridian Brandgreentrade.net
- 4Meridian rebrand — Design Effectiveness Awardseffectivedesign.org.uk
- 5Meridian Foods plays up natural credentials with pack redesignthegrocer.co.uk
- 6Frank Wins Meridian Foods' Creative PR Accountprovokemedia.com
- 7Meridian Palm Oil Free Peanut Butter — Good Tastes Bettershop.meridianfoods.co.uk
- 8Meridian introduces a new look for nut butterscashandcarrymanagement.co.uk
- 9Protein Smooth Peanut Butter announced for Irelandlinkedin.com
- 10A further nut-butter packaging refresh beginslinkedin.com
- 11Midwestern Pet Foods recalls pet food products over potential Salmonella contaminationnbcchicago.com
- 12Midwestern Pet Foods recalls pet food products over potential Salmonella contaminationdenver7.com
- 13Meridian与底特律Eastern Market计划合作举办疫苗接种活动prnewswire.com
- 14Meridian推出“What if...?”品牌宣传活动newswire.ca
- 15TWE 将多个美国葡萄酒品牌授权给 The Wine Groupwinetitles.com.au
- 16Meridian推出姜饼坚果酱bakeryandsnacks.com
- 17Meridian任命James Kiamos为伊利诺伊州市场首席执行官prnewswire.com
- 18Jet Linx 收购 Meridian 飞机管理与包机业务financial-news.co.uk
- 19Jet Linx宣布收购Meridian包机及管理业务businessinsider.com
- 20Meridian 与 Aunt Martha's 合作提供 COVID-19 检测prnewswire.com
- 21Midwestern Pet Foods Recalls Certain Dog And Cat Food Brandsfinanznachrichten.de
- 22MIDWESTERN PET FOODS VOLUNTARY RECALLS PET FOOD DUE TO SALMONELLA RISKkmmo.com
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