The answer often lies in the most basic ingredients.
Butter, this seemingly simple dairy product, is actually the most meticulous ingredient in baking. From the AA grade of the United States Department of Agriculture to the A grade, from the AOP of the European Union to ordinary fermented butter, the difference between one grade and the other can result in a huge disparity in flavor and performance.
Today, let’s talk about: What exactly makes a good butter good?
Source: AAK brand official website
Table of Contents/ Content
1: What exactly is butter?
2: Where does good butter come from? How does the origin shape the flavor?
3: The standards of good butter: USDA grading vs EU AOP certification
4: How to choose butter like a professional buyer?
01 What exactly is butter?
Before discussing whether it is good or not, we need to first clarify its identity.
What is butter? In simple terms, it is a concentrated fat product separated from milk. Fresh milk is separated by centrifugation to obtain cream, which is then stirred and the fat globule membranes rupture, causing the fat to aggregate into particles, after which buttermilk is removed and pressed to form butter. [Source: USDA website of the United States Department of Agriculture]
Source: Isigny brand official website
According to the new national standard GB 19646-2025 that will be officially implemented on March 16, 2026, “cream” can also be called “butter”, and “unsalted cream” can also be called “unsalted butter” or “unsalted milk fat”. This means that whether it is labeled as “cream” or “butter”, it actually means the same thing.
The new national standard also clearly stipulates that fermented whipping cream and prepared whipping cream must clearly indicate “fermented”. The previously vague promotional terms like “unique flavor” must now be clearly marked on the packaging. [Source: CQCDC official website – Nutrition and Food Safety, Foodmate Food Partner Network]
Source: Isigny brand website
When it comes to butter, there are two key differences that need to be distinguished:
First, animal butter vs. vegetable butter.
They are two different types of products. Animal butter is the natural milk fat extracted from milk; vegetable butter is a solid-like substance similar to cream that is made from vegetable oils (soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, etc.) through a hydrogenation reaction and may contain trans fats.
However, with modern technology, many major brands have adopted “complete hydrogenation” or “ester exchange” techniques, achieving “0 trans fatty acids”. [Source: Guangming Network – China Consumer Report]
Source: Isigny brand official website
Second, fermented butter vs non-fermented butter (sweet cream butter).
This is the dividing line that determines the flavor profile. Non-fermented butter (sweet cream butter) is made by simply mixing fresh cream. It has a mild and pure flavor.
Fermented butter is made by adding lactic acid bacteria to the cream and then stirring it. The lactic acid bacteria convert lactose into lactic acid, making the butter taste richer and giving it a unique hazelnut and lactic aroma. This fermentation process is widely used in Europe, especially in France.
Source: Isigny brand official website
During the “butter and rice cake” craze last year, many baking brands such as Halalai, Lixihe, and Baoshuifu chose to use high-quality fermented butter as the raw material for product production.
Additionally, salted/unsalted butter is also quite understandable. Unsalted butter is suitable for baking and makes it easier to control the saltiness; salted butter is suitable for directly spreading on bread to enhance the flavor of the meal.
02 Where does good butter come from?
How does the origin shape the flavor?
Both are fermented butter. Why do the ones produced in France, New Zealand and Japan taste completely different?
The answer lies in the milk source and the production process. The quality of butter depends on 70% of the milk source and 30% of the production process. The base color of the milk source is largely determined by the origin.
Source: Isigny brand official website
Let’s talk about the most sought-after French butter.
There are three regions in France that have received the EU AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) certification. This means that the entire process of butter production and processing must be carried out within the designated areas and follow traditional techniques.
These three regions are: Normandy, Bresse, and Charente-Pouilly. [Source: CNPP brand 100 official website]
Source: Isigny brand official website
Take the brand Isigny as an example. It is located in the alluvial plain of the Normandy region. This area is at the junction of the ocean and the saltwater and freshwater of the wetlands, and the milk produced here is rich in minerals and various trace elements, having a unique “sea flavor”.
The Isigny region is called “the French dairy barn”, and the grass-fed dairy cows in the pastures are allowed to graze for more than 7 months.
Image source: Isigny brand official website
Due to the lower fat content of fresh milk produced by grass-fed cows, approximately 20 liters of fresh milk are needed to produce one kilogram of Isigny butter; however, the liposoluble nutrient content of grass-fed milk is also correspondingly higher. The raw milk used in the production of butter is rich in natural iodine, vitamin A and carotene, which gives the finished butter its natural golden color and a creamy and hazelnut aroma.
[Source: CNPP brand 100 official website]
Image source: Isigny brand official website
Echiré, also from the AOP region, adheres to the traditional process of using the least amount of cream for 12 hours of fermentation. Combined with the unique strains passed down through generations in the local area, it has created its highly sought-after unique aroma.
The premium baking brand “Little Tiger Handmade” has newly launched “Echiré Butter Lace Cookies” this year, and it has selected Echiré AOP butter for this product. [Source: CNPP Brand 100 Official Website, NetEase News]
Lescure is also an important representative of AOP butter. The cream is slowly biologically aged for over 16 hours before being mixed. This process gives it a rich milk aroma and a distinctive hazelnut fragrance.
The popular product King Pie of the baking brand PAIN CHAUD uses Lescure AOP butter sheets. [Source: CNPP Brand 100 Official Website, reportify Official Website]
If French butter represents terroir and tradition, then this country in the southern hemisphere has taken a different path.
New Zealand is the global representative producer of grass-fed butter. In June 2025, the New Zealand government and the Ministry of Primary Industries jointly issued the “New Zealand Dairy Grass-Fed Management Standard”, which is the world’s first national grass-fed standard. It requires that at least 90% of the feed for dairy cows must be qualified grass-fed feed, and they must spend at least 8 hours a day and at least 340 days a year on the pasture. [Source: Official Website of the Henan Dairy Industry Association]
Source: Anchor Anji brand official website
Westgold and Anchor are representative brands of New Zealand grass-fed butter. They are mostly non-fermented butter, presenting a distinctive golden color and having a pure milk aroma flavor.
In February this year, Anji launched a deep collaboration with Dingdong Maicai. The self-owned baking brand “Baoluo Gongfang” of Dingdong Maicai introduced new products – ham and mushroom chakata sandwiches, potato and jujube-flavored butter thick-cut toast, etc., all of which used Anji butter as an important ingredient.
Japanese butter is renowned for its meticulous craftsmanship and light texture. Hokkaido is the main milk source area for it, and some of the representative brands include Meiji, Yotsuba, and Megmilk Snow Brand, etc.
Although Japan does not have an AOP (Authentic Origin Protected) certification system, Japanese dairy companies’ relentless pursuit of excellence in their production processes has made their butter stand out for its delicacy and purity.
Source: Yotsuba Four Leaf Brand Official Website
Post time: Apr-28-2026