Better than butter?

March 26, 2025 by
 |  7 Comments  |  Leave Comment

During the 1980s when fats were considered the worst dietary evil, the oil-based spread “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” made its debut. The product is still around, even though its flavor is not fooling anyone. Fast forward 44 years and a new butter substitute is making a similar claim, despite not having either animal OR plant products in it. The Bill Gates-backed brand called Savor is introducing its carbon-based butter at restaurants across the US. The company says their product produces far fewer greenhouse gases than dairy butter.

If it isn’t made from plants or animals, just what is this fat made from? According to one of its founders, Kathleen Alexander, the product uses “carbon in its simplest forms – gases like carbon dioxide or methane…These gases are transformed into carbon chains called alkanes, which are then turned into fatty acids (the building blocks of fats and oils) and eventually into fats. This process is achieved through a controlled combination of temperature and pressure.” Alexander and co-founder Ian MacKay started working on the butter substitute in 2022.

While this might sound like something from a sci-fi novel, the product is real and will be soon be introduced at a handful of California restaurants and bakeries including Michelin-starred eateries SingleThread and ONE65, and Jane the Bakery. Alexander says that Savor’s fats are “chemically identical” to those we already eat, and that the dairy replacement can be used to make any baked item that uses butter – even croissants. I will have to see (and taste) it to be convinced.

Read an update from an EYB Member on the Jane the Bakery croissant using Savor in another blog post.

Category: Antipasto

Post a comment

7 Comments

  • FuzzyChef  on  March 27, 2025

    Odds that they cause cancer?

  • Indio32  on  March 27, 2025

    Sounds revolting not to mention what’s the likelihood that in a few years it’ll be found to be really unhealthy. #TeamButter

  • eliza  on  March 27, 2025

    Similar to the other commenters, I will wait to see what the health implications are.

  • anya_sf  on  March 27, 2025

    If I see this at Jane the Bakery, I will try it and report back.

    • Jane  on  March 28, 2025

      Thanks for taking one for the team Anya!

  • Xyz123  on  March 28, 2025

    If Bill Gates has something to do with, I want nothing to do with it. Eat real food!

  • anya_sf  on  April 26, 2025

    This morning I got to try a mini croissant from Jane the Bakery made with Savor. Naturally, I got a regular croissant for comparison as well. Sampled on its own, the Savor croissant was quite good. But the regular croissant was certainly better: flakier, with a softer, airier center, and more buttery flavor. But I cannot say that those differences were due (solely) to the fat, as they could at least partially be due to the flour and size of the croissant. I took photos if there is some way for me to post them.

Seen anything interesting? Let us know & we'll share it!

Categories

Archives