Isle of Man Creamery has confirmed that its much-loved spreadable butter will return to local shelves next week after a period of disrupted supply.

The Creamery, which temporarily halted exports in April to prioritise the Isle of Man market, says the spreadable product will once again be available to local customers from Monday, May 19.

In recent weeks, shoppers have noticed the absence of the popular butter in supermarkets and doorstep deliveries.

The Creamery had warned that supply issues would likely prevent the product from returning until mid-May, a forecast it now says it is on track to meet.

A spokesperson explained the challenges behind the shortage, noting that butter is made using the fat skimmed off raw milk supplied by the island’s 28 dairy farms.

However, several seasonal and customer-driven factors have made it harder to produce enough fat to meet demand.

‘Customers may have noticed that in recent weeks we have been experiencing some supply issues with Isle of Man Creamery butter,’ the spokesperson said in a statement posted to social media.

‘A number of factors have influenced the amount of butter fat we have available for production of our salted dairy butter and spreadable.’

These include a shift in consumer habits, with more people choosing whole milk over skimmed varieties, meaning there is less fat to skim from the milk.

In addition, more cream is currently being allocated to cheese production, to maintain the Creamery’s signature creamy taste and texture.

The Creamery also noted that the fat content in raw milk tends to drop at certain times of the year, a seasonal variation that further reduced the supply available for butter production.

To help alleviate the issue, the Creamery made the decision last month to stop exporting butter, including to a major UK retailer, in order to prioritise its loyal local customers.

‘We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank our customers for their continued support and choosing to buy local, which is more important than ever,’ the spokesperson added.

This marks the second time in 2025 that the Creamery’s spreadable butter has been temporarily unavailable.

Back in February, the product was also delayed due to issues in manufacturing the unsalted butter required for blending and packing the final spreadable version.

Despite the recent setbacks, the Creamery says it remains committed to supplying high-quality dairy products using local milk from grass-fed cows, and ensuring that Manx customers are always served first when supplies are limited.

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