Nuts for Nutcessity

Often, the root of a good breakfast stems from what you decide to slather on an otherwise bland bit of carbs. With bold statements such as “the most important meal of the day”, we reckon that boosting your breakfast ideas should be made more of a priority. Whilst sometimes a buttery piece of toast can’t be beaten, shaking things up a little should be encouraged. If you’re running out of things to have for breakfast (we wouldn’t blame you in our third lockdown), we’d like to introduce you to Nutcessity – Mike Duckworth’s genius idea of organic, plant-based nut butters. (Disclaimer: once you’ve tried these, we bet they won’t be just on the breakfast table!)

In a Nut Shell…

In a world where peanut butter is often the king of nut butters, Mike realised he needed to create a collection of nutty alternatives, if only to satisfy his own needs! In his early teens he realised he was allergic to peanuts, which combined beautifully with his general love of food (us too, Mike!), business degree and eventual boredom of working in a restaurant, to form his own organic food company.

To begin with, Mike made all his nut butters himself at home, including lovingly jarring and labelling every single one. The idea of being behind all the creative aspects of running a business, such as branding, design and marketing, were also attractive to Mike when considering launching his own selection. Having moved to three different kitchens across Bristol from 2016 to early 2020, then using his parents’ kitchen during the week, he finally starting working with a specialist manufacturer due to high demand last year.

What’s on the Table?

Currently, Nutcessity offer a selection of 5 different nut butters. They are all certified organic (phew!), plant-based and without any added sugar. Mike highlights that these days many ‘flavoured’ nut butters have coconut sugar or some kind of syrup, but his butters use only wholesome, natural ingredients to be enjoyed as nature intended. In fact, Mike can proudly name all of the ingredients in his butters, as they contain only five: nuts, seeds, coconut, fruit and salt. What’s more, Mike continues to add to the benefits of his butters, having them sent to UKAS accredited labs to verify that they are all gluten-free and of course, peanut-free!

You can shop some of our favourite Nutcessity flavours right now here at Eversfield Organic at a discounted price for a limited time only! Some would say just in time for Pancake Day…

Choose from:

Date & Walnut – A delectable combination of sweet and salty, wholesome yet indulgent, that is the perfect addition to toast or porridge for the best breakfast. However, these butters aren’t just for breakfast recipes, and Date & Walnut is equally as yummy alongside some dried fruit. So good it earned itself a One Star Great Taste Award last year!

Gingerbread Almond – Did we mention that all of Mike’s butters offer many health benefits as well as delicious flavours? The Gingerbread Almond Butter shows us this, packed full of iron from its almond, pumpkin seed and apricot ingredients. This spread offers a hint of more festive days with its warming spice and tang – Mike recommends this one scooped inside some dried apricots for the perfect snack.

Caromel Cashew – A slightly sweeter alterative to the other butters, the Caromel Cashew is made from the Carob plant which is naturally high in calcium, zinc and iron and, combined with cashew nuts, gives this butter its sweetness. This earthy alternative to chocolate nut spread is delightful with chopped banana or spread thickly over warm crumpets and also won a One Star Great Taste Award in 2020.

Coffee & Walnut – Although we know we shouldn’t pick a favourite child, Mike admits that The Coffee & Walnut Butter is his personal favourite. The combination of the little kick of caffeine and the rich, slightly bitter flavouring is what does it for him. Low sugar and hence less sweet, Mike recommends this one on porridge for a healthy breakfast or English muffins – yum!

Shop Nutcessity’s tasty range of organic, plant-based, gluten-free and peanut-free nut butters (alongside the rest of our Pancake Day must haves) here.