Jobbie’s approach to growth blends indulgent innovation with strategic collaborations. The firm regularly works with well-known brands to create new flavour experiences — a move it says appeals to younger and more adventurous consumers.
One example is its top-selling collaboration with Famous Amos, where crushed chocolate chip cookies are blended into peanut butter. A second partnership is in the works, expected to follow a similar concept.
“The one from our Famous Amos collab is definitely on the indulgent side — it’s rich, and I always recommend having it with vanilla ice cream. It makes a great topping,” said Gerald Tan, Jobbie’s business development manager.
The firm believes in offering something indulgent to feel good and for variety, instead of focusing solely on health-focused creations.
“While we usually lean towards health-conscious products, sometimes you just need something that tastes indulgent,” said Tan.
Such creations are developed with the modern and younger consumer in mind, who are increasingly appreciative of premium products and are health conscious at the same time.
The newly launched chocolate almond butter is also designed to suit children as well, particularly those allergic to peanuts or who find plain almond flavours too intense.
“Kids can be picky – if something tastes too raw or lacks sweetness, they’ll push it away. So we used chocolate as a natural sweetener. There are no added sugars, no palm oil, and still no unnecessary additives,” said Tan.
These recent developments are innovations aimed at differentiating Jobbie from its competitors.
Unique formulation
Aiming to be different has been a guiding principle since their founding 10 years ago.
“Peanut butter is just that, so how do we differentiate ourselves? From the start, we already set out to be different by blending peanut skins with the peanut butter, which adds flavour complexity and gives the peanut butter a toasty note,” said Tan.
However, Tan explained that it is crucial to do so at the right proportion – too much of the peanut skin will make the product overly astringent and bitter.
He adds that visually, Jobbie’s nut butters are distinct as well.
“You can see the difference when you compare our peanut butter to others – especially well-known Australian brands, for example. Their peanut butter tends to be lighter, while ours is darker.
“Ours can be considered a dark roast peanut butter. That’s because we roast the peanuts a bit longer to bring out a deeper, more intense flavour. The colour difference is very noticeable,” said Tan.
Jobbie’s unique flavours have found favour in the Malaysian and Singapore market, where its products are priced slightly in the premium range – its almond butter, for example, is around RM28 (USD6.20) for 200 grams.
The company is eyeing regional expansion across APAC, including into the Philippines, where peanut butter is a household staple. According to Tan, cracking these markets will hinge on getting flavour profiles right.
“Flavour is our top priority. Since it’s a food product, it must taste good – that’s paramount. You’ll be number one if you get this right,” said Tan.
