Vegemite announces biggest product change in six years
Updated . First published at
Vegemite has released a new version of its iconic spread which contains less sodium and no artificial colours.
Vegemite Kids is the first new Vegemite product to be released in six years and it costs $5.70 for a 220g jar.
The new product is in response to customer feedback, Vegemite senior brand manager Tegan Froud told nine.com.au.
Vegemite Kids is the brand's first new release in six years. Jo Abi
“Believe it or not, there’s a whole bunch of people out there that aren’t eating Vegemite.
“They’re saying things like the taste is a little bit too bold, and they are perhaps looking for some healthier options as well.
“So it was really about just giving parents choice.
“This one was also really about the flavour and having that kind of perfect taste for little taste buds to come into Vegemite with as well.
“So it’s a much more milder flavour as well as 50 per cent less salt and no artificial colours.”
Vegemite Kids, which has been in development for 18 months, has 50 per cent less salt than the original product, and has removed the artificial colour c150.
“And it was also really important that we just kept those B vitamins as well,” Froud added.
While this is Vegemite’s first new product in six years, it isn’t it’s first foray into a spread designed for children.
In 2011, Vegemite released My First Vegemite, a milder formulation designed specifically for toddlers aged older than one year and containing 50 per cent less sodium and added vitamin B. This product was discontinued in 2012.
The new product contains 50 per cent less salt and artificial colour c150 has been removed. Jo Abi
And who can forget Vegemite Cheesybite, originally released in 2009 as iSnack 2.0 and later renamed Cheesybite after a customers opted to vote for a better name.
This product combined Vegemite with Kraft cream cheese, making for a milder, less salty taste and in keeping with the Vegemite and cheese combination favoured by Vegemite lovers.
This too has been reformulated and is now known as Vegemite & Cheese “made with Bega cream cheese”.
Bega Group acquired Kraft in Australia in 2017, taking over Vegemite, peanut butter, and the Port Melbourne factory.
Vegemite now has several varieties available, including original Vegemite, Vegemite kids, Vegemite 40% Salt Reduced, and Vegemite Gluten-Free.
Froud said there are no plans to change the original Vegemite recipe which still contains 150c.
“I personally wouldn’t want to be changing the original Vegemite recipe,” Froud said when asked if there are any plans to remove this ingredient from the range.
There are no plans to change the original Vegemite recipe. Jo Abi
“We know that that’s so well-loved around here, so I’d be nervous to do that, personally.”
Paediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher has told nine.com.au she is happy to see that the new Vegemite Kids product doesn’t contain the artificial colour c150.
“When you see brands reformulating because they are hearing what consumers want, consumers don’t want more chemicals in their everyday staples.
“It’s not about avoiding packaged foods altogether. It’s about having more clean options on the supermarket shelves, less additives, lower in sodium.
“So families can, in moderation, enjoy their supermarket picks without literally adding in all those chemicals into kids’ diets.”
Sacher recently rated Australia’s most popular spreads and condiments on Today Extra, sharing her recommendations for best supermarket yeast spreads, dairy spreads, jams, and peanut butters.
When it came to yeast spreads, Sacher noted that Vegemite is traditionally a high salt yeast product with added colour, so her advice is to “scrape not scoop”.
“Use it in moderation and have it with an unsalted butter, and pair it with things like avocado or a low sodium cheese.”
There are now several versions of the popular spread including low salt and gluten-free. iStock Editorial
When it came to the best dairy spread, Sacher said butter rates better than margarines because butter contains one ingredient, cream, compared to margarines which she said isn’t “real food” and can “contain up to 12 ingredients”.
For those concerned about butter’s high fat content, or who avoid dairy, she suggested using extra virgin olive oil, which can be placed in the freezer and used as a spread the next day.
For jam, Sacher said to check the ingredients and choose one that has the word “fruit” before the word “sugar” or better still, make your own.
And finally peanut butter. Sacher said to choose a peanut butter that has one ingredient listed, being “peanut”.
For all spreads, Sacher said “the packaging doesn’t always tell the full story”.
“Turn them around, read the ingredient list.”
