Matt Vandergriff was traveling in western Kentucky when he happened upon a restaurant that sold strawberry butter.
“When I got home I looked everywhere for something similar, but I couldn’t find anything,” he said. “I guess that’s how Chattanooga Butter got started.”
What began as a hobby quickly spread to over 20 locations in the area, with the 2-year-old business’s products in stores including Earth Fare, area Ace Hardwares and Riverside Wine and Spirits. And locals have a taste for the unique butter blends – the niche food provider has nearly 20,000 followers on its social media channels.
The butter is a unique blend of imported grass fed butter, coconut oil and spices. The coconut oil, in addition to adding a healthier component to the butter, also aids in the texture, making it much more smooth and spreadable, said Vandergriff.
But the biggest reason his butter is the better choice, Vandergriff explained, is because other brands pump their products with chemicals and bad-for-you oils, like hydrogenated vegetable oil. While the presence of such oils allows the butter to travel in summer heat and have a startlingly lengthy shelf life, the trans-fats in them are linked to heart disease, stroke and diabetes, among other chronic diseases. Meanwhile, the saturated fats in coconut oil have been shown to promote energy, speed up metabolism and help cholesterol levels.