I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | J.H. Filbert company |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
| Products | Margarine, butter substitute spreads |
| Parent | Flora Food Group (original), later Unilever (from 1986) |
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! is a margarine product created by Flora Food Group and positioned as an alternative to traditional butter.
History
Originating in 1979, the Baltimore-based J.H. Filbert company developed this affordable butter substitute primarily for the foodservice sector. The name was inspired by a comment made by the husband of a company secretary. The product became available for retail purchase in 1981. After Unilever acquired J.H. Filbert in 1986, the brand’s distribution expanded beyond the Washington, DC/Baltimore region to cover the entire United States by 1988, followed by international markets such as the UK, Canada, and Mexico by 1991. Later expansions included Germany in 2011 and Chile in 2012.
Since 1994, advertising campaigns have prominently featured celebrity spokesperson Fabio Lanzoni, who typically focuses on delivering the brand’s name.
Varieties
Unilever offers the brand in standard and "light" spread options, alongside a liquid butter alternative available in a spray bottle. This spray form is an emulsion of vegetable oil and water with a subtle butter taste derived from buttermilk, promoted as containing no calories or fat. In 2017, two additional variants were launched: "It's Vegan" and "It's Organic."
United States
For the 52-week period ending July 10, 2005, this product led its category—including margarines, butter blends, and spreads—with sales totaling US $244.7 million. By 2012, Euromonitor International noted a decline in sales for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, dropping by 3.9% despite an overall margarine market growth of 1.1%. Spreads represented 7% of Unilever’s total sales, although butter substitutes experienced a downturn.
In 2016, revenue from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter reached $248.4 million, with the Light version contributing $47.7 million.
UK rebranding
In February 2017, Unilever introduced a new name for the UK market: "I Can't Believe It's So Good... For Everything!" to emphasize the product's multifunctionality. This rebranding received mixed feedback and was subsequently shortened to "I Can't Believe It's So Good...". The original branding was reinstated in November 2019.