Prestige vs Blue Band: Which Margarine is Better?

6 March 2024|Grocery Guides (Kenya)

Prestige and Blue Band the the two most popular margarine brands in Kenya, in this post we will look at the distinctions between the two and what each is best at.

Overview

Prestige is the value option, costing much less than what you will pay for Blue Band, this makes sense because Blue Band is an established name already, and they can charge more and still get sales.

Use Cases

Margarine is mostly used as a cheaper substitute for butter, so if a recipe calls for butter and you don’t have it, margarine can do a better job bearing in mind it costs nothing compared to butter; 500g of butter is KSh 930 while 500g of margarine is KSh 215.

Again not just as a substitute, in some applications margarine even outshines butter like in baking cookies!

Below is a comparison of the performance of Prestige and Blue Band in different use case applications to help you make an informed purchase on your next grocery restock haul.

Read: The 15 Essential Pantry & Fridge Grocery Staples in Kenya

Read: The 167 Basic Kenyan Shopping List Items

1. Baking

Winner: Prestige

Prestige stands out as the superior choice for baking, without question.

Firstly, in large-scale and commercial baking where significant quantities of margarine are required, the cost of ingredients plays a crucial role. Given that Prestige is more affordable, it clearly emerges as the preferred option in such scenarios.

Moreover, beyond cost considerations, Prestige boasts a higher fat content compared to Blue Band, which translates to superior baking results. Additionally, Prestige offers a nearly neutral taste profile, unlike Blue Band which carries a distinct taste and smell that could be off-putting in bakery applications.

Despite Original Blue Band’s labeling suggesting it’s suitable for baking, the reality is quite different.

Every baker acknowledges that Prestige is the logical choice for baking purposes. While Blue Band has introduced a specific margarine for baking, its higher cost compared to the original product and limited availability make it a less appealing option.

Hence, when it comes to baking, Blue Band falls short, and I wouldn’t recommend their baking-specific margarine due to its price and restricted availability.

2. Spreading

Winner: Blue Band

Both Prestige and Blue Band are commendable options and spread well with consistent texture at room temperature. However, the deciding factor lies in taste and variety.

Currently, Prestige offers two varieties: original and vanilla. Unfortunately, the vanilla variant falls short in taste, being notably distasteful and not recommended.

On the other hand, Blue Band presents three varieties: the versatile Original, a low-fat option specifically designed for spreading on bread—ideal for health-conscious consumers—and the newest addition, Blue Band Choco.

While the Original Blue Band is richer and of medium fat content, the low-fat variant, labeled “Spread for Bread,” maintains its consistency without melting when used as a topping. (It shouldn’t be used multi purposely for this reason)

The latest variation, Blue Band Choco, is noteworthy for its good taste, albeit being slightly softer and fluffier at room temperature compared to the original Blue Band Blue Band.

Considering its diverse range of flavors and its effectiveness for spreading on bread, Blue Band emerges as the winner in this category.

3. Topping

Winner: Blue Band

When it comes to using margarine as a topping, particularly for dishes like porridge (uji), I’ve personally tested both Prestige and Blue Band. Without a doubt, Blue Band stands out as the superior choice.

Its distinctive flavor complements the porridge perfectly, enhancing the overall taste experience. In contrast, Prestige’s lack of a distinct taste doesn’t contribute significantly to the uji.

Also Read: Kenyan Porridge; Effortless Uji Recipe (Lump-Free)

Therefore, if you’re looking for a margarine to elevate the flavor of your uji or any other dishes, Blue Band is the way to go, as it offers a more flavorful option.

4. Value & Economy

Winner: Prestige

Prestige offers better value and economy. In 2024, while a kilogram of Blue Band costs KSh 550, Prestige is priced at just KSh 370, making it a remarkable 49% cheaper than Blue Band.

This price difference becomes even more substantial when purchasing larger quantities, such as 10 kilograms of margarine. For those who use margarine extensively, (bakers) the savings with Prestige could be significant, it’s a double win for home bakers considering Prestige is the better one for the job, and is also the cheaper.

5. Versatility

Winner: Prestige

When it comes to versatility, Prestige emerges as the clear winner. Its neutral composition, devoid of any added flavors or distinct tastes, makes it the ideal all-purpose margarine.

Unlike Blue Band, which is constrained in certain applications due to its flavor and aroma, Prestige can be used for a wide range of purposes, making it the superior choice in terms of versatility.

So if you just wanted one margarine in your pantry, the wisest choice would be to buy Prestige.

6. Nutrition

Winner: Blue Band

Blue Band owes its widespread popularity and adoption largely to its marketing efforts, positioning itself as a nutritious product fortified with Omega 3 & 6, along with various vitamins.

Specifically targeted towards aiding in the brain development of young children due to its Omega 3 content, Blue Band emphasizes its nutritional value. In contrast, Prestige does not focus on nutritional appeal as it lacks fortifications.

Additionally, Blue Band Original contains lower levels of fat, calories, and sodium compared to Prestige’s original variant.

Blue Band boasts fortification with seven different vitamins, whereas Prestige is fortified with only two.

It’s worth noting that Prestige contains a significant amount of trans fats, which can be detrimental to heart health, whereas Blue Band does not indicate the presence of trans fats.

While margarine is not typically considered a healthy food, if one is seeking a relatively “healthier” option, Blue Band would be the preferred choice due to its nutritional fortifications and lower levels of certain components like fat, calories, and sodium.

7. Cooking / Butter Substitutions

Winner: Prestige

In cooking applications such as boiling spaghetti, Prestige outperforms Blue Band due to its flavor neutrality.

Additionally, if you’re aiming to prevent spaghetti from clumping while boiling, using margarine like Prestige instead of vegetable oil is recommended, although traditionally neither should be used since the spaghetti will be drained anyway.

For substituting butter, Prestige is the superior choice for two main reasons.

Firstly, it is neutral and secondly, it boasts a higher fat content compared to Blue Band, making it a better match for replicating the texture and taste of butter.

Typically, butter contains around 81g of fat per 100g, whereas Prestige contains 82g per 100g, making it a closer match to butter than Blue Band, which contains only 50g of fat per 100g.

Nutritional Information

I guess we have unconsciously discussed that in the previous section; to compile and summarize it now;

Prestige

Neutral flavor profile
No nutritional fortifications
Higher fat content (82g per 100g)
Contains trans fats, which may be detrimental to heart health
Suitable for butter substitution due to higher fat content

Blue Band

Marketed as a nutritious product fortified with Omega 3 & 6 and seven different vitamins
Specifically targeted towards aiding in brain development, particularly in children
Lower fat content (50g per 100g) compared to Prestige
Does not indicate the presence of trans fats (doesn’t mean they are absent)
Contains nutritional fortifications, making it a relatively healthier option, especially for those seeking added vitamins and Omega fatty acids.

Summary: Blue Band or Prestige?

Overall, if you prioritize nutritional fortifications and lower fat content, Blue Band may be considered the healthier option.

However, if you’re primarily concerned with neutral flavor and higher fat content for certain cooking applications like butter substitution, Prestige might be preferred.

Overall I would say Prestige is better for my use case and I value the versatility it offers while being a strong butter substitute and the better choice for baking, It is all things I want in margarine as I don’t spread.