About Vegemite
Vegemite is Australia's most iconic food brand, a dark yeast extract spread developed by Cyril Callister in Melbourne for the Fred Walker Company in 1922 and first sold in stores on 25 October 1923. Now celebrating over 100 years of history, Vegemite has become a defining symbol of Australian culture and is beloved by Australians worldwide. The spread was created when Callister was given the task of developing a product from the used yeast being discarded by breweries during disruptions to British Marmite imports after World War I. Using autolysis to break down yeast cells from the Carlton & United brewery, he created a concentrated liquid extract blended with salt, celery, and onion extracts to form the distinctive sticky black paste. The Vegemite name was chosen through a public naming competition, drawn from a hat by Fred Walker's daughter. After decades under American ownership with Kraft Foods and later Mondelēz International, Vegemite returned to Australian hands in 2017 when the Bega Group purchased the brand. Today, over 22 million jars are produced annually at the Port Melbourne facility, virtually unchanged from Callister's original recipe. The spread contains no fat, added sugar, or animal content, and is rich in B vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. UK shoppers can find Vegemite, including the Gluten Free version, at supermarkets carrying Australian and world foods. Grocefully helps compare prices across UK retailers to find the best deals on this iconic Australian spread.