Independent British producer creating innovative, nut-free granola butter from Scottish oats, with five delicious flavours and a passion for inclusive food.
Location: Stratford, London
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Our Story
What happens when two food lovers decide that ordinary breakfast spreads need a little reinvention? For London-based Oat Avenue, the answer was something Britain hadn't seen before: granola butter, a deliciously creamy, spreadable version of the familiar breakfast favourite.
The story began during the 2020 lockdown, when Iva Danchova and Thiviyan Umapathysarma found themselves experimenting with oats in their home kitchen. From oat milk and cookies to pizza bases, they explored just how versatile this humble grain could be. Then came the idea that would change everything: what if granola could be turned into a spread?
They roasted granola, blended it in their kitchen blender and discovered the beginnings of an entirely new product. The first attempts weren't perfect, but months of experimenting with ingredients, roasting and texture eventually produced a smooth, flavourful alternative to traditional nut butters.
Oat Avenue launched in 2021 with a mission to make delicious spreads accessible to more people, including those avoiding nuts, gluten and other common allergens. The founders initially made their granola butter themselves, spending around 18 months producing it from their home kitchen before finding a specialist manufacturing partner capable of meeting their allergen-control requirements.
Today, Oat Avenue offers five distinctive flavours: Original, Chocolate, Raspberry, Chai Spiced and Matcha. What started as a kitchen experiment has grown into an independent British food brand stocked by major retailers, including Holland & Barrett and Ocado, while remaining true to its original ambition: making something genuinely different, delicious and enjoyable for everyone.
Meet The Team
Behind Oat Avenue are husband-and-wife founders Iva Danchova and Thiviyan Umapathysarma, two food lovers who turned an unexpected kitchen experiment into one of Britain's most original new spread brands.
Neither came from a traditional food manufacturing background. Their journey began with curiosity, a shared enthusiasm for nut butters and the belief that there should be more exciting alternatives for people unable to enjoy conventional spreads.
Iva was particularly motivated by the limitations of existing products, especially for people with dietary restrictions. Together, the couple began experimenting with oats, discovering that roasting and grinding them could produce a rich, creamy spread with the familiar comforting flavour of granola.
Building Oat Avenue wasn't straightforward. The couple spent months refining their recipes and initially handled production themselves. Finding a manufacturer capable of maintaining their strict allergen requirements proved especially challenging, but eventually allowed the business to grow beyond their kitchen.
Today, Iva and Thiviyan remain closely involved in developing new flavours and introducing customers to granola butter. Their journey from homemade experiments to national retail shelves is a reminder that some of Britain's most interesting food innovations begin with a simple question: why hasn't anyone made this before?
How It's Made
Oat Avenue's granola butter starts with a familiar British ingredient: oats. But rather than turning them into porridge or traditional crunchy granola, the team transforms them into a smooth, creamy spread that can be enjoyed much like peanut or almond butter.
The process begins with carefully sourced gluten-free Scottish oats, selected for their quality and suitability for allergen-controlled production. The oats are roasted to develop their characteristic toasted flavour before being finely ground and blended with a small selection of ingredients to create the distinctive granola butter texture.
The Original recipe combines gluten-free oats with organic coconut sugar, sunflower oil, cinnamon and sea salt. Other flavours build on this foundation with ingredients such as freeze-dried raspberries, warming chai spices, chocolate or organic matcha powder.
Achieving the right texture was one of the founders' biggest challenges. They wanted a spread that retained the comforting flavour of toasted granola while being smooth enough to spread, drizzle or enjoy straight from the jar.
Production now takes place with a specialist manufacturing partner capable of meeting the brand's strict allergen-control requirements. The granola butter is made in small batches in Britain, with particular attention to ingredient selection, consistency and food safety.
The result is something refreshingly different: a versatile oat-based spread that brings together the flavour of granola and the convenience of nut butter, without relying on nuts.
Sustainability
Oat Avenue places careful ingredient sourcing and thoughtful packaging at the centre of its approach to creating British-made granola butter.
The foundation of every recipe is gluten-free Scottish oats, sourced from trusted suppliers who meet the company's quality, traceability and allergen-control requirements. Using oats grown in Scotland gives the brand a meaningful connection to British agriculture and provides a reliable foundation for its range of spreads.
The recipes use a relatively short list of recognisable ingredients, including organic coconut sugar, sunflower oil, natural spices and fruit ingredients. Oat Avenue also avoids palm oil in its granola butter.
Packaging is another consideration. The spreads are sold in reusable glass jars, with recyclable packaging components, encouraging customers to reuse or recycle their empty containers.
For Oat Avenue, responsible production is closely connected to ingredient quality, careful sourcing and creating a product that can be enjoyed by people with a wide range of dietary preferences.
Awards
Oat Avenue has attracted recognition for bringing something genuinely different to the British spreads market, combining innovative product development with an emphasis on flavour and carefully selected ingredients.
Its Original Granola Butter has received a prestigious Three-Star Great Taste Award, the highest level of recognition in the Great Taste judging system. The award highlights the quality of a product that transforms familiar toasted oats into an entirely new kind of spread.
Oat Avenue has also achieved a significant commercial milestone, securing listings with major British retailers including Holland & Barrett, Ocado and Whole Foods Market. Its products have reached more than 600 Holland & Barrett stores nationwide, introducing granola butter to customers far beyond its original London beginnings.
For an independent business that started with two founders experimenting in their kitchen, the recognition demonstrates how a simple idea, developed with persistence and attention to flavour, can create an entirely new food category.
Where You'll Find Us
Oat Avenue was born in East London, where the founders began experimenting with oats in their home kitchen during the 2020 lockdown.
Although the business remains rooted in London, its distinctive oat-based spreads can now be found in independent food shops and major retailers across Britain, including Holland & Barrett, Ocado and Whole Foods Market.
What customers think
Why Good Food Scout likes Oat Avenue
Every so often we discover a British producer making something that makes us wonder why nobody thought of it sooner. Oat Avenue is one of those discoveries.
Taking something as familiar as granola and turning it into a spreadable butter is a wonderfully simple idea, but bringing it to life took months of experimentation, recipe development and determination from founders Iva and Thiviyan.
What particularly appeals to us is that Oat Avenue isn't simply trying to create another flavoured spread. It's offering a genuinely different alternative to traditional nut butters, using Scottish oats to create something that more people can enjoy, including those avoiding nuts and other common allergens.
We also like the creativity of the range. From comforting Original and indulgent Chocolate to fruity Raspberry, warming Chai Spiced and distinctive Matcha, there's plenty here to make breakfast or snacking a little more interesting.
Then there's the founders' story. Two people experimenting in their London kitchen during lockdown, developing a product that didn't previously exist in the British market, and eventually seeing it stocked in hundreds of shops across the country.
For Good Food Scout, Oat Avenue represents the innovative side of independent British food production: a fresh idea, carefully developed, made in Britain and bringing something genuinely new to the table.
FAQs
What is Oat Avenue granola butter?
Granola butter is a creamy, spreadable version of granola made from roasted oats. Created by British producer Oat Avenue, it offers a delicious alternative to traditional peanut and nut butters.
Who founded Oat Avenue?
Oat Avenue was founded by husband-and-wife team Iva Danchova and Thiviyan Umapathysarma, who developed the UK's first granola butter after experimenting with oats during the 2020 lockdown.
Where is Oat Avenue granola butter made?
Oat Avenue is a London-based British food business. Its granola butter is made in the UK using Scottish oats and carefully selected ingredients.
Is Oat Avenue granola butter nut-free?
Yes. Oat Avenue's granola butter is made without peanuts or tree nuts and is marketed as free from the UK's 14 major allergens. Always check the individual product label for current allergen information.
Is Oat Avenue granola butter gluten-free?
Yes. Oat Avenue uses specially sourced gluten-free oats and describes its range as gluten-free and suitable for coeliacs. Customers should always check the packaging for current allergen information.
Is Oat Avenue granola butter vegan?
Yes. Oat Avenue's granola butter is entirely plant-based and suitable for vegans.
What flavours of granola butter does Oat Avenue make?
Oat Avenue offers five flavours: Original, Chocolate, Raspberry, Chai Spiced and Matcha, each combining the familiar taste of roasted oats with distinctive complementary ingredients.
How do you eat granola butter?
Granola butter can be spread on toast, drizzled over porridge, pancakes or yoghurt, stirred into smoothies, used in baking or enjoyed straight from the jar.
How long does Oat Avenue granola butter last?
Unopened jars have a shelf life of up to 12 months. Once opened, Oat Avenue recommends storing the jar in a cool, dry cupboard and consuming it within one month. Always follow the best-before date and storage instructions on the packaging.
Has Oat Avenue won any awards?
Yes. Oat Avenue's Original Granola Butter has received a prestigious Three-Star Great Taste Award, recognising the quality and flavour of its innovative oat-based spread.
