A new fitness trend is shaking up social media — literally. Known as the “butter run” or “churning and burning,” runners are making fresh butter while jogging.
The trend began when two Oregon runners, Libby Cope and Jacob Arnold, wondered if the motion of running could churn cream into butter. They placed heavy cream and a pinch of salt in sealed bags, strapped them to their bodies and went for a 5-mile jog.
The agitation from the movement caused the fat in the cream to separate from the liquid, resulting in fresh butter. Their video demonstrating the process has now received over 2 million views on TikTok and 11 million views on Instagram.
Since then, runners around the world have taken up butter runs, posting videos from trails and parks across North America, Europe and Asia. Many strap bags of cream to their backpacks, and some experiment with flavors like herbs, honey or garlic, combining the hands-on process with a culinary twist. The trend has gone viral on social media, putting butter in the spotlight.
From a dairy perspective, the trend provides an opportunity to show how simple dairy ingredients can easily be transformed into a healthy product. By mixing fitness with a bit of fun, consumers are finding a new way to connect with dairy.
