Official Kids Mag

By Karen Rice Officla Kids Mag Peanut butter is a staple that can be found in 94% of American households… we're pretty sure you have some at your house! Ancient Incas and the Aztecs made the first peanut butter by grinding roasted peanuts into a paste. However, modern peanut butter can be credited to a few different inventors. Although he did not invent peanut butter, George Washington Carver—one of the greatest inventors in American history—introduced peanuts to the American diet. He also discovered over 300 hundred uses for peanuts including chili sauce, shampoo, shaving cream and glue. He was a pioneer in the world of agriculture and many refer to him as father of the peanut industry. In 1884, Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Canada patented peanut paste. In 1895 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (the creator of Kellogg's cereal) patented a process for creating peanut butter from raw peanuts. In 1903, Dr. Ambrose Straub of St. Louis, Missouri, patented a peanut- butter-making machine. And then there's a modern-day story about two "nutty" inventors right here in Fayetteville, Arkansas! Brothers Austin and Quinn Simkins loved to eat peanut butter when they were growing up. Their family even had their own recipe for chocolate peanut butter. But the brothers discovered that a lot of peanut butter sold in the stores isn't very healthy. They found out that most peanut butters contain either palm oil or hydrogenated oils. The harvesting of palm oil is bad for the environment, causing deforestation of the rain forest and destruction of animal habitats. Hydrogenated oils are an unhealthy form of fat that isn't good for your heart. "We were eating a lot of peanut butter, and we realized we could make something better than these peanut butters from the store," said Quinn. So a couple of years ago, they decided to invent their own peanut butter. Austin had recently graduated from the University of Arkansas with his MBA, while Quinn was still a student at the university. After doing some experimenting, the brothers decided to use olive oil to make their peanut butter, which lowered the amount of sugar, added healthy fats and was much more eco-friendly. Plus, the results tasted delicious. They named their company Natural Way. Their creation, Natural Way peanut butter is now available in four different flavors, including original, honey, chocolate swirl and coffee. Plus, they offer special flavors like gingerbread and pumpkin spice for the holidays. Natural Way has also launched a line of almond butter in the same four classic flavors as the peanut butter. The Simkins still live in Fayetteville, and Natural Way nut butters are still manufactured in Fayetteville too. Their products are sold in more than 700 stores across the country including supermarkets, health food stores and even at farmers markets. Quinn says he feels lucky to be working as an entrepreneur, especially when he gets to go to work every day with his brother. "It's a family business, truly." And, as you can imagine, the brothers now like peanut butter more than ever. Inventing a new kind of peanut butter Austin Simkins Quinn Simkins 10 • FeBruary 2021 • officialKidsMag.com Ad Number: 013121NWR6271 www.naturalwayfoodgroup.com Natural Way: NWA's Premium Nut Butters Made with Olive Oil

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