Dr Zak's, a UK-based producer of protein bakery products, has moved into peanut butter, launching a line of butters containing whey protein.

Managing director Ray Brilus told just-food the privately-owned business was targeting the "sports fitness and wellbeing market" in the UK. "Nut butters are used extensively as part of training programmes and it was a logical step to combine the nut butters with whey protein to create a more unique product aimed at our specific vertical market," Brilus said. "We use a next generation partially hydrolysed whey protein isolate in our products as our consumer base trusts us to create premium quality sports fitness foods."

Dr Zak's has secured listings with 260 direct customer retail outlets that Brilus said range from online to sports fitness stores, gyms and health shops. He added: "We are in discussion with Holland and Barratt, Nutri Centre and CLF for distribution in the UK, as well as distributors covering Europe, the Middle East and Scandinavia. To our knowledge we are the only company in Europe now commercial making this type of peanut butter."

The peanut butters, which contain 36g of protein per 100g, are available in five flavours – including salted caramel and apple and cinnamon. They have a recommended price of GBP6.99 for a 450g jar.