Weird Niche: Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches for Lazy People
It's Weird Niche Wednesday time again, my friends. (Cue applause.)
What is our weird niche this time? Well, it's not quite as weird as some we've had in the past, but it did make me shake my head. 🙂
It's premade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for people too busy to make their own… I think?
Can't quite figure out the niche for this one other than it's convenience foods taken too far. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't get it
I'm a fan of Smuckers Jams, but this is just ridiculous, in my opinion. But, I'll set my opinions aside and we can just analyze this niche and figure out why people are buying it. And, how it got into all of the big grocery chains.
Business Lessons Learned from the Frozen PB&J Niche:
- Convenience sells.
Obviously there is a market for convenience. I can see the appeal of having all of your groceries in one box. There have been times when we've run out of jam or bread and needed to run to the store, but still. .. - Americana sells.
PB&J is American history. (It's like apple pie and baseball.) The tradition of mom making a pb&j for you with love every day and putting it into your lunch box with a little note. Oh, wait. Uhhh.. that's not what's happening. - Once again – Don't overcomplicate things.
In your quest for a way to make money in business, obviously it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to make a pb&j, take off the crusts and stick them in a box in the freezer. Just do it!
Yes, I'm being a little sassy today, but that's because I think some things don't need to be convenience'd up for you. Did you know that you can also now buy hard-boiled eggs (yes, pre-cooked) in the store. I understand wanting to have a hard-boiled egg handy, but really? And, the rice in a bag? Next thing you know you'll find pre-peeled bananas and sliced apples. Oh wait. 😉
Anyway, we're talking about Peanut Butter and Jelly today and so I did a little keyword research for you.
Keyword Research for the PB&J Niche:
I ran a bit of keyword research and I found over 750 keyphrases using “Peanut Butter Jelly”. Surprising? Yes!
Now, not all of these are money-making keyphrases, of course, but it's interesting none-the-less.
During my research I discovered that most people were searching for the song “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” and the accompanying dance. lol. See below for the dancing banana that started the craze.
Sample keyphrases for “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” song.
- peanut butter jelly dance
- peanut butter jelly ring tones
Then, another chunk of the keyphrases were for recipes, of course. People want to make foods (and drinks) with peanut butter and jelly.
- peanut butter jelly martini – YUM!
- peanut butter and jelly and bacon sandwich – (Remember the posts about Bacon products? Weird Niche: Bacon)
- peanut butter jelly wings (Yes, really)
- peanut butter jelly cookie recipe
And, some of the terms that people were searching for were for gifts, oddly enough.
- peanut butter jelly t-shirts
- peanut butter jelly gifts
- peanut butter jelly necklace (go figure)
So I did a little snooping around the ‘net to try to figure out what the heck the “PB&J gifts” were.
Here's what I found.
You can even get PB&J Shoes:
I even discovered a recurring revenue model for Peanut Butter afficionados. Yes, a Peanut Butter of the Month club. Go figure!
Peanut Butter of the Month Club from Flying Noodle
Let me know what you think about this week's weird niche. And, have a great day!
Warmly,
Nicole
If you want to find a profitable online niche,
I recommend you check out these pre-researched packages:
The Happypreneur
August 18, 2010 at 2:00 pmPeanut butter jelly wid a baseball bat is my very favorite way to eat it, but day-ya-go, that’s just the way I roll.
;^)
Celene
Your Husband
August 18, 2010 at 1:51 pmI heard those Uncrustables are delicious (much like that awesomely delectable classic Goober Grape).
Great… Now I’m going to buy both on my next trip to the grocery store. 🙂
Nicole
August 18, 2010 at 4:36 pmDon’t you dare! lol. Oh, who am I kidding, I know you and the kids would love those things. 😉
And, FYI Smuckers invented Goober Grape (jam & peanut butter in one jar) – you know, for people too lazy to open TWO separate jars.
Shannon Smith
August 18, 2010 at 4:45 pmHaha. I have a jar of that in my cupboard. Andrew saw it at the store and had to have it. Thinks it’s the coolest thing ever.
Loretta
August 18, 2010 at 5:31 pmI bought the Goober Grape for my kids one time – I think it’s yucky LOL
Erica Douglass
August 21, 2010 at 8:40 amBefore I found out I had Celiac disease, I used to buy Uncrustables all the time. They are really good! Yeah, I hate crusts and love convenience.
-Erica
The Mom
August 19, 2010 at 9:24 amJooooooooeeeeeeeeee????? Don’t you even think about it, you goober! Although I know the kids would get a big kick out of them.
I am appalled/intrigued also by Goober Grape. I think it’s the very cool look, the stripes, the awesome color combo, that gets ya hooked. I don’t know. But to actually buy it???
You want me to buy a bag of Wonder Bread, cut off the crusts, make pb&j sandwiches, wrap them up and freeze them for you? 😉
Felicia Slattery
August 18, 2010 at 4:02 pmNicole!
Can my blog be your blog when it grows up???
This is SUCH an awesome and fun post. And what a great idea to theme a day of the week for your readers, do the research, come up with cool pics, graphics, videos… I am in professional awe.
I’m starting a complete overhaul of my blog and sites and expect it to be done by the end of the month. I’m going to use your post as a model for what an ideal blog post can do for its readers.
You rock, girlfriend!
And about the PBJ in a frozen box… ew. Nuff said.
Have fun at NAMS!
Felicia
Nicole
August 18, 2010 at 4:35 pmLove you, too! Thanks for making my day.
Hugs to my favorite speaker coach and I NEED to see you soon. Miss you.
N
Shannon Smith
August 18, 2010 at 4:14 pmI love it. My son loves that video, and I even have it as my ring tone. It’s interesting when it goes off in the middle of the store or something. The one of them on the shirt, I’ve heard of before. It’s something about “going together like peanut butter and jelly” as in made for each other.
Loretta
August 18, 2010 at 5:28 pmOkay, I love that shirt – too cute! I don’t get the uncrustables thing either. I know my kid’s schools all have them available as the after school snack they can buy to take with them and I think sometimes they have them available at breakfast once a week too.
My 12 year old is a pb sandwich addict and he loves the darn things and he always asks me to buy them, and I confess once in awhile I cave in to his beautiful blue eyes, but usually I tell him no because they are like 4.50 for a box of four sandwiches – what the? I tell him to go pick a fancy jam flavor in the other aisle instead and he’ll get a billion more sandwiches for the same price.
The Mom
August 19, 2010 at 9:30 am“convenience’d up for you” ??? Nicole, you do turn the English language on its ear. I LOVE that phrase!
Well, you know my feelings about packaged foods. This has got to just about top the list. What the …?
Anyway, in regard to the niche factor… I think the lesson is this:
It just goes to show you that what you believe in, value, appreciate, etc. isn’t necessarily what other people believe in, value, appreciate, etc. Although I wouldn’t recommend finding a niche and promoting a product that you don’t believe in, the fact is there are all sorts of things out there that people want and will pay money for.
Thanks again for a fun (video rocks!) WNW!
Matt Clark
September 8, 2010 at 5:13 pmUncrustables are terrific! We used them with our little one. They were great to grab a frozen Uncrustable bag and GO to a park/picnic. Not to mention that the jelly didn’t get all over the place like a typical sandwich for a three year old.
🙂
Pampered Chef even made a “Cut-N-Seal” sandwich sealer too. Slap on the peanut butter then slap on the jelly and Cut-N-Seal and you’re out the door. It was a little cheaper making your own.
We didn’t utilize them for everyday usage. They were for running out the door meals. Of course… my son is now 10 and we don’t utilize either of them now. But they were great for younger kids and on-the-go.
-Matt