ROSEMONT, ILL. – A contributor to the butter board craze that took off within foodie circles on the internet this fall, popular recipe developer Justine Doiron presented her butter-centric creation while working with the dairy checkoff.

Doiron, who has millions of social media followers across her accounts on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest, is one of the many chefs, recipe developers, influencers and the like who are part of what Dairy Management Inc. calls its “Dairy Dream Team.” The group is tasked with presenting appealing dairy recipes to consumers, with an emphasis on reaching the Gen Z demographic (ages 9 to 24).

A Doiron-produced TikTok video highlighting the steps to making a butter board, as of mid-October, had generated 8 million-plus views, as well as coverage from such national media outlets as The New York Times, CNN and Good Morning America. In the video, Doiron demonstrates how to smear butter onto a board and then add ingredients on top, resulting in a creation that can be dipped into or spread onto bread, crackers or some other snack.   

The hashtag #butterboard, as well as videos and photos of people’s own preparations, can be spotted all over TikTok, Instagram and other social media channels.

DMI chief executive officer and president Barbara O’Brien said such trends are “part of what the checkoff’s modern marketing strategy looks like.” O’Brien said: “By working with social media influencers, we are meeting consumers where they are and giving them new reasons to choose dairy.”

The organization also worked with Doiron and other influencers while partnering with the American Butter Institute to ask consumers about their hacks for spreading butter on bread or toast. Per O’Brien, that strategy led to sharp spikes in traffic for the US Dairy website (up 36,000 views in one week) and more than 4 million views on the checkoff’s social media accounts.

Whole-fat dairy products such as butter, O’Brien added, have become more accepted in recent years, after the checkoff funded more than 60 studies over the course of more than two decades, generating scientific evidence for dietary acceptance of whole-fat dairy.

Added DMI chair Marilyn Hershey: “This is a lightning-strike moment that is the culmination of years of investment in science that not only is considered by health professionals and thought leaders but influences consumers’ purchase decisions.”