How Vegemite changed Australia, and the rule it never broke
Today, October 25, marks 103 years of the salty, yeasty spread that grew from a 1923 Melbourne factory experiment into a staple of Aussie breakfast tables.
While the rest of the word struggles to understand our love of Vegemite, you’d be pressed to find a kitchen here that doesn’t have at least one jar of the unique condiment in the pantry or the fridge.
Vegemite is celebrating its 103rd birthday. Jo Abi
The first Vegemite was released in 1923 in Port Melbourne, Victoria. It began as a factory experiment but quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Although it has undergone many iterations over the decades – some out of wartime necessity, others out of changing customer preferences – it has always been one of the country’s best-selling spreads.
The making of a national icon
Aussies are dedicated to the salty, yeasty condiment. 9News
In 1922, Melbourne businessman Fred Walker tasked chemist Dr Cyril P. Callister with creating an Australian alternative to Marmite, a popular British yeast spread, after it became difficult to import during World War I.
Working with spent brewer’s yeast sourced from the Carlton & United Brewery, Callister broke it down and combined it with salt, celery and onion extracts. This was the recipe for the first Vegemite that hit shelves.
The name was the result of a national competition, with the winner drawn out by Walker’s daughter, Sheilah – a combination of “vege” from “vegetable” and “mite” from Marmite.
Still, it took time for Aussie shoppers to switch from the British spread they knew and loved to the new local invention.
Vegemite was devised as an Australian alternative to the British spread Marmite. iStock
It wasn’t until World War II that it began to surge in popularity when it was marketed as a natural source of vitamin B. It was rationed for civilians during this time but became a much-loved addition to dry toast for our military.
Next came the Happy Little Vegemite jingle, and the rest is history.
When one became six
Today, there are six varieties of Vegemite including Kids, 40% Less Salt, Gluten Free, & Cheese and Squeezy.
Not all of the brand’s releases have been a success, however.
In 2009 Vegemite released a product called iSnack 2.0, which proved a step too far for most fans of the stalwart.
Vegemite Kids was the brand’s first new release in six years. Jo Abi
Another naming competition ensured and it was rebranded Cheesybite. This was meant to be a milder version of the salty original that would better suit kids’ palates before it was discontinued.
A lower-sodium version called My First Vegemite also didn’t last the distance, nor did the Vegemite Cadbury Chocolate block, which failed to impress.
Vegemite has even made its way into chocolate bars and bakery products. Coles
One feature that has never changed is its colour, remaining black – or dark, dark brown, if it is the & Cheese version. It really wouldn’t be Vegemite if this was altered in any way.
Vegemite has also breached the confines of simple morning toast, and has been used in a past Coles roast chicken flavour, as an addition to spaghetti and casseroles, and not to mention countless pastries and other novelty uses such as coffees and milkshakes.
It has also been sold as a dip, and in a flavour collaboration with Arnott’s Shapes.
Coles’ Vegemite roast chicken was released for a limited run in 2022. Coles
Steady price increases
Vegemite lovers haven’t been spared steady price increases alongside most supermarket staples, due to a combination of inflation and rising supply costs.
A 380g jar has increased in price by approximately 28 per cent since 2017, increasing from $6 to $7.70. The 580g jar appears to offer the most value, increasing from $8 to $9.90.
Vegemite Kids costs $5.70 for a 220g jar, Squeezy is $6.80 for 380g, and Gluten Free is $5.70 for 235g, as is 40% Less Salt. Vegemite & Cheese costs $5.70 for 270g.
Who owns Vegemite
Vegemite is owned by the Bega Group, with the local brand acquiring it in 2017 after a period of foreign ownership.
Original owner Fred Walker Company sold the brand to American-owned Kraft Foods in 1925. During a major corporate restructuring in 2012, Kraft Foods split into two separate entities. Vegemite’s ownership moved to Kraft’s international snack food spinoff, Mondelēz International, before it was bought by Bega.
Vegemite is owned by the Bega Group after a period of foreign ownership. AAP
The Vegemite factory still sits alongside the West Gate Freeway in Port Melbourne, Victoria. In 2016, Cook Street in Port Melbourne was renamed to VEGEMITE Way to celebrate the brand’s heritage.
Vegemite is sold around the world, although it continues to compete with Marmite in the UK. However, other countries’ inhabitants don’t seem to understand the appeal of a black, salty yeast spread, regardless of whether it is Australia’s Vegemite or Britain’s Marmite.
