Kiwis can be Marmite-lovers or Vegemite-lovers, or like both equally. What about yourself, family members, friends and colleagues?! If you did a blind taste test, could you tell which was Vegemite or Marmite?!  Both are vegetarian/vegan food spreads made from leftover brewers' yeast extract, vegetables, salt and vitamins, but their flavours differ due to variations in their recipes. 

• Marmite began to be produced in Britain in 1902 by the Marmite Food Company Ltd at Staffordshire. Following early imports by NZ firms, British Marmite's marketing rights for Australasia were held from 1908 by the Seventh-day Adventists' (SDA) Sanitarium Health Food Company. Its headquarters were in Sydney, with factories at Cooronbong (north of Sydney) and Christchurch. 

• New Zealand's Marmite variant was launched by Sanitarium in 1944 after its factory in Christchurch began experimenting with local ingredients in the 1930s. Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, production halted for two years which the public dubbed "Marmageddon", and the factory moved to Auckland in 2019.

• Vegemite was invented in Melbourne by Fred Walker & Co. in 1923 following a supply shortage of British Marmite during WWI. The Company became owned by American firm Kraft in 1935, which later restructured in 2012 and its Mondelēz International Inc sold the Vegemite brand to Australian Bega Cheese Ltd in 2017.

Nowadays, Marmite produced by Sanitarium at its Auckland factory and Vegemite produced by its current owner Australian Bega Cheese Ltd at Melbourne are available in NZ. British Marmite is still manufactured in the UK and sold by Unilever as 'Our Mate' in NZ and Australia to avoid trademark infringements with Sanitarium. Similarly, Sanitarium's Marmite is sold as 'NZ-Mite' in the UK to avoid trademark infringements with Unilever's Marmite.

Milestones:

The following gives an overview of how generations of New Zealanders were introduced to Marmite and Vegemite as health foods for breakfast, school lunches and dinner recipes:

• The production of British Marmite (1902), Australia's Vegemite (1923), and Sanitarium's NZ Marmite (1944).

• Advertising campaigns, including the advent of television and the forming of product partnerships and sponsorships.

• The impact of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake on halting production of NZ Marmite for two years, causing "Marmaggedon".

• Recent media reports "spreading" the news about Vegemite and Marmite.        

                                     >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1.  British Marmite factory opened in 1902

During the 1840s, the German scientist Justus von Liebig (1803-1873) found that brewer's yeast could be concentrated to form yeast extract as a substitute for meat flavouring in dishes. Various attempts were made by people to manufacture the yeast extract for commercial purposes which were unsuccessful. On 13 June 1902, the Marmite Food Extract Company Ltd was formed by Frederick Wissler and opened its first factory in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire in October. The site was chosen to use the leftover yeast from the Bass Brewery which had been operating since 1777 and was the largest brewery in the UK.

Find out more:

• Marmite Museum: The history of Marmite; URL: https://www.marmitemuseum.co.uk/marmite-history/

• Migration Museum: Marmite: the quintessentially British brand… made by a migrant; URL: https://www.migrationmuseum.org/marmite-the-quintessentially-british-brand-made-by-a-migrant/

British-produced Marmite advertised in NZ, Sept 1903 -

In September 1903, Marmite began to be imported and advertised in NZ by the Wellington firm, Joseph Nathan & Co. Ltd. The Company had been set up in Wellington in 1873 by British immigrant Joseph Nathan who also opened a London office in 1876. Joseph returned to live in London in 1886, leaving his eldest son David in charge at Wellington. Joseph Nathan and Company was registered as a limited company in London on 19 July 1899. The Wellington branch supplied imported merchandise throughout New Zealand. (Source: Julia Millen. 'Nathan, Joseph Edward', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, 1st published 1993. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand:  https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2n3/nathan-joseph-edward)

* 'Marmite' possesses the same nutrient value as a well prepared Meat Extract.”—LANCET

MARMITE

This new Food Extract is a purely vegetable preparation, and has been proved to bo the best article of its kind, for flavouring Soups, Gravies, Sauces, etc. It makes a delicious and stimulating bouillon by simply adding a small quantity of boiling water. Its purity is guaranteed, and it is specially suited for invalids who cannot digest ordinary beef tea, being highly recommended by physicians and the medical press. Awarded Gold Medal at “Food & Cookery Exhibition,” London, 1903. Economical housekeepers should particularly note that Marmite will keep good practically any length of time even after the cork has been removed, and that it costs about one half the price of most Meat Extracts.

Special Agents for New Zealand:—Joseph Nathan Co.. Ltd., Wellington

Source: New Zealand Mail (2 Sept 1903), Advertisements, Issue 1644, Page 47

2.  Sanitarium gained exclusive rights to sell British       Marmite in Australia & NZ, 1908  

During 1908, the Seventh-day Adventists' (SDA) Sanitarium Health Food Company (SHF) gained the exclusive rights to sell British Marmite in Australasia. SDA missionaries had opened a bakery in Melbourne during 1898. They had been shipping health foods from SDA's Battle Creek Sanitarium's bakery run by Dr Kellogg in Missouri; then decided to commence baking their own to avoid staleness. The Melbourne bakery moved north of Sydney to Cooranbong in 1899, and expanded to Christchurch in 1901. SHF then opened its first Pure Foods Café in Sydney in 1904 to help promote its products. The café was managed by George Fisher, who then encouraged the opening of similar cafés in other cities in Australia and NZ. Health Food stores were also set up to sell Sanitarium's products. When Fisher visited a client’s warehouse during 1908, he tasted Marmite imported from Britain for the first time. On sharing it with his kitchen staff, they discovered that as well as being used to make gravies, fondues and other savouries; that it could be spread as a delicacy on bread. Consequently, Fisher made arrangements through the agent with the manufacturers in Burton-on-Trent, England to import Marmite exclusively for sale by SDA health food wholesalers in Australia and NZ.  (Source:  W. Glynn Litster (29 Jan 2020), “Fisher, George Septimus Julius (1872–1947", SDA: Encyclopedia of Seventh-Day Adventists)

Sanitarium's background as Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) health food manufacturer in Australia (1898) and New Zealand (1901)

(a)  Seventh-day Adventist missionaries from United States settled in Melbourne, 1885

In 1885 the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church leaders at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Missouri sent a small group of missionaries to Australia to establish their first churches in Australia and New Zealand, and to spread their health message. They were joined in December 1891 by Church elder Ellen White (b. 1827 in Maine) and her son William (b. 1854) to help strengthen the development of the churches and health reform messages.

Find out more: Julie Praestiin (20 July 2020), "Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing, South Pacific Division", In SDA: Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=A842

SDA leader Ellen White had helped establish SDA's headquarters at Battle Creek

Ellen White had helped to establish SDA's headquarters, the Western Health Reform Institute, at Battle Creek, Missouri in 1866. Doctor John Harvey Kellogg (b.1852 in Tyrone, Michigan) was appointed as Battle Creek's medical superintendent in July 1876. He introduced a health programme that advocated healthy eating, preferably vegetarian, exercise, fresh air, hydrotherapy and muscular therapies, massage, and abstinence from tobacco and alcohol. Kellogg changed the Institute's name to 'Battle Creek Medical Surgical Sanitarium' in 1877, using the letter 'a' instead of the standard 'o' in 'sanitorium'. During January 1878, a School of Hygiene was opened to train nurses, followed by the opening of a new larger building for the Sanitarium during 1878. 

Sanitarium's vegetarian health foods were made by the Kelloggs

Dr Kellogg also began making vegetarian health foods for the patients in 1877. He was aided by his younger brother Will Keith Kellogg (b.1860) who joined the Sanitarium as a book keeper in November 1879. 

Dr Kellogg had married Ella Eaton on 22 February 1879 whilst she was enrolled at the School of Hygiene. Ella was placed in charge of the Sanitarium's Experimental Kitchen in In 1883. She formulated dietician courses for nurses, founded the School of Home Economics (which later became part of Battle Creek College) and a School of Cooking for the Sanitarium. In 1888, Dr. Kellogg and Ella also began a School of Domestic Economy. She was also the Sanitarium dietician, planning meals for patients and staff, which led to her writing several cookery books including "Science in the Kitchen: published in 1892, which is accessible online on Project Gutenberg. 

(b)  SDA members began home-cooking of health foods in Melbourne in 1894, which            led to importing from the Kelloggs at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Michigan in 1895

In January 1894, Ellen White was invited to talk about her health work and her visions of health reform, including healthy eating, at SDA's meeting of Australasian and Melanesian churches held in Melbourne.

Ellen's talk lnspired the spreading of information about health foods, sharing of recipes, and the starting of cooking lessons in homes around Melbourne. SDA members then began preparing and selling health foods to other Australian states. Ellen's son William, who was appointed the Australian Adventist Church Union President from 1894 to 1897, became concerned at the variable standards of the local making and selling of health foods by independent operators in Melbourne. William contacted the Church leaders at the Battle Creek Sanitarium for advice on food standards.

The Church leaders at SDA's headquarters at Battle Creek advised on the setting and maintaining of food standards, which led to the importing of supplies of health foods made by the Kelloggs. Later in October 1895, at an SDA camp-meeting in Armadale, Victoria, it was decided to establish depots to distribute the shipments of health food. The first depot was set up in 1896 at SDA’s Echo Publishing Company at Fitzroy North, Melbourne to repack, cost and distribute the consignments from Battle Creek. Following requests from former Battle Creek Sanitarium patients for supplies of the health foods, the Kelloggs established the Sanitas Food Company in.1897.  When SDA members decided to set up a second depot in Australia at the end of 1897, it was opened by Dr Edgar Caro at the Summer Hill Sanitarium in Sydney. He named the depot as the Sanitas Supply Company, as an agency for Kellogg's Sanitas Food Company. 

(c)   SDA opened Sanitarium Health Food Agency bakery in Melbourne (1898)

Due to growing concerns over food becoming stale during the voyage from the Kelloggs' Sanitas Food Company at Battle Creek, SDA decided to open a bakery in Melbourne. At the Australasian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists held in Oct 1897, it was reported that a bakery was to be set up in a leased building in Northcote, Melbourne. It was also announced that American baker Edward Halsey (1869-1926) had been invited to manage it. Halsey had trained as a baker during the early 1890s under the Kellogg brothers.

Find out more: 

• Milton Hook, Cultivating vegetarians: Pioneering the Sanitarium Health Food Company. Seventh-day Adventist Heritage Series: Booklet 17; URL:  https://education.adventistchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2017/07/16-Hospital-on-a-Hilltop-Pioneering-the-Sydney-Sanitarium.pdf

• W. Glynn Litster (29 Jan 2000), "Halsey, Edward Clarence (1869-1926)", SDA: Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists'; URL: https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=97WV

Halsey arrived in Melbourne on 8 November 1897 and helped search for a suitable bakery. The SDA rented the St. Georges Bakery, which had a house attached near the depot at the Echo Publishing Company, and Halsey commenced baking there in January 1898. The Sanitarium Health Food Agency (later known as 'Company') was registered on 27 April 1898. The Sanitas Supply Company depot set up at SDA's Summer Hill Sanitarium in Sydney also began to supply the health foods made by Halsey and his staff in Melbourne, as well as continuing to receive health foods from Battle Creek. The health foods were promoted in Australia and New Zealand during SDA meetings.

(d)  SDA bakery relocated to north of Sydney at Cooranbong (1899)

Later in August 1898, SDA decided to shift its bakery to provide improved facilities for the manufacture and distribution of its foods. On 7 September 1898, SDA's location committee decided to site the bakery on land adjacent to its Avondale College in Cooranbong, north of Sydney. The College had been opened by the SDA Church in 1897 to offer courses in teaching, business, and biblical and mission studies. Next to the College, the construction of the Avondale Health Retreat to care for the sick was planned, which later opened in December 1899. By siting the bakery there, the intent was to develop test and implement products with the patients, as well as provide work opportunities for the College's students.

Work began on building the bakery / factory over the next six months by converting a sawmill and making clay bricks for a brick addition. When the factory was completed, Halsey transferred from Melbourne in May 1899. Halsey continued to bake his health foods and produced his first peanut butter on 29th May. The health foods were packaged and distributed from SDA’s depot set up at the Summer Hill Sanitarium in Sydney, which also continued to receive health food products from Battle Creek. By July 1899, Halsey had begun supplying the first Granose biscuits made in Australia. A granose mill purchased from William White who'd acquired it when visiting the US was then installed in September 1899, along with an imported biscuit-cutting machine, a biscuit press and ovens. The health foods continued to be distributed  from SDA’s depot at the Summer Hill Sanitarium in Sydney.

(e) Sanitarium Health Food Company was formed in Sydney in 1900

To distinguish the health foods produced at Cooranbong from those made at Battle Creek, the Summer Hill Sanitarium became the headquarters for the separately run Sanitarium Health Food Company in 1900.

(f)  SDA opened Sanitorium/Health Home in NZ at Papanui (1900) & its bakery began in        1901 which produced what became known as 'Sanitarium Health Foods'

SDA also decided to open a hydrotherapy centre in Christchurch in 1898 managed by Gustav and Florence Brandstater. This led to the building of the Sanitorium/Health home in Papanui, Christchurch during 1900. A bakery was added and Halsey relocated from Cooranbong in January 1901. As demand grew from former Sanitorium patients, Halsey also began distributing to home deliverers, stores and merchants under the name "Sanitarium Health Foods" using the letter 'a' instead of the standard 'o' in 'sanitorium'.

Find out more: Sanitarium: Moments that made us, URL:https://www.sanitarium.com/nz/about/sanitarium-story/history

3. Sanitarium Health Food Company marketed British      Marmite IN AUSTRALIA & NZ, 1908 -

British Marmite promoted at Sanitarium's health food stores & vegetarian cafés

On gaining the marketing rights for British Marmite in Australasia in 1908, the Sanitarium Health Food Company, whose head office was in Sydney, began marketing it with its own health foods at its health food stores and vegetarian cafés in Australia and NZ.

• SDA had opened its first Sanitarium health food store in Christchurch in October 1901, followed by Wellington and Auckland.

• Sanitarium's head office in Sydney had appointed George Fisher as the manager of its first café  - the Pure Foods Café which opened in Sydney in 1904. He began promoting the concept of vegetarian cafés in Australia and NZ, which led to cafés opening in Melbourne (1906) and Wellington (Oct 1906). Eventually other cafés opened in Australian and NZ cites, including Auckland (Nov 1907), Christchurch (March 1908) and Dunedin (1923). Cooking demonstrations were given and sales tables set up to enable customers to buy the products they had dined on. Initially, the cafés operated independently in NZ from Sanitarium's manufacturing operation attached to its Sanitorium/Health Home in Papanui; then amalgamated in 1909 under the Sanitarium Health Food Company Board. 

From 1912 to 1920, Fisher became responsible for the general oversight of the health food work in New Zealand and Australia. He then became the manager of Sanitarium's factory sited at Cooranbong north of Sydney until 1933 when he was appointed the manager of the Sydney Sanitorium until retiring in 1942.

Find out more: Milton Hook (29 Jan 2020), "Sanitarium Health Food Cafés, New Zealand", SDA: Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventist

Supplies of British Marmite impacted on by WWI

Sanitarium built new factory in Christchurch to keep up with post-war demand & continued to market British Marmite with its own health foods, 1922

4.  Vegemite invented in Australia in 1923

Following the shortage of British Marmite during WWI, an Australian food manufacturer, Fred Walker (1884-1935), decided to invent a spread similar to Marmite at his butter and cheese canning factory at Kerferd Road in Melbourne. Food technologist Cyril Callister was commissioned by Fred Walker & Co. during 1923. Callister's experiments with brewer's yeast led to the production of a ‘Pure Vegetable Extract’ which later became called 'Vegemite' after a naming competition. It began to be sold in stores in a two ounce (57g) amber glass jar, capped with what was known as a Phoenix seal.

Find out more:

• K. T. H. Farrer, 'Walker, Fred (1884–1935)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/walker-fred-8953/text15747

• K. T. H. Farrer, 'Callister, Cyril Percy (1893–1949)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/callister-cyril-percy-5468/text9291

Vegemite and cheese marketed together, 1926 - 

During a trip to the United States, Fred Walker met James Kraft of the American firm Kraft Cheese Company in Chicago. Walker secured the Australian rights to Kraft's processed cheese which he intended to co-market with Vegemite produced by his Fred Walker & Co. In May 1926, he registered the Kraft Walker Cheese Co. Pty Ltd in Melbourne of which he also became the managing director and began processing cheese in September 1926. Vegemite continued to be manufactured by his Fred Walker & Co. factory.

Vegemite renamed 'Parwill' in 1928; then reverted back to 'Vegemite' in mid-1933

Vegemite was advertised as ‘pure vegetable extract’ but sales were slow at first against its competitor Marmite. After cartons began to be returned by retail outlets, minor changes were made to the ingredients and sales began to improve. In 1928, Walker decided to change the name of 'Vegemite' to 'Parwill' which was marketed in Queensland. After meeting with public criticism, the name reverted back to Vegemite. 

Vegemite brand became owned by American Kraft Cheese Company in 1935

When Fred Walker passed away on 21 July 1935, both of his companies - Fred Walker & Co. and Kraft Walker Cheese Co. Pty Ltd -  were amalgamated to form the Kraft Walker Cheese Co. Ltd with the American Kraft company acquiring a controlling interest. Hence, the Vegemite brand became owned by Kraft.

Vegemite endorsed as source of Vitamin B by British Medical Association in 1939

The Vegemite brand was officially endorsed as a source of Vitamin B by the British Medical Association in 1939 and began to be advertised in the British Medical Journal. Medical professionals began recommending Vegemite spread as a Vitamin B rich, nutritionally balanced food for patients and children.

5.  Sanitarium Acquired Weet-bix, expanded its                     factories & continued to distribute British

     Marmite, 1930s

Sanitarium gained distribution rights for Weet-Bix in Australia from Grain Products, 1928

Weet-Bix was initially manufactured as a health breakfast food in Australia by Seventh-day Adventist follower Arthur Shannon who'd established Grain Products Ltd in Sydney in 1925/26. During a trip to the United States in mid-1925, Shannon had visited SDA Sanitoriums, the Battle Creek Food Company and the WK Kellogg Food Company which manufactured health foods. On his return to Sydney, he became involved with investigating recipes for Weet-Bix with his SDA bakery and marketing friends and set up Grain Products. The Weet-Bix was marketed throughout Australia and also exported to an agent in New Zealand. After the sales of its Granose were affected by the popularity of Weet-Bix, the Sanitarium Health Food Company in Melbourne gained the distribution rights in Australia for Weet-Bix from Grain Products in October 1928. 

Find out more: Weet-Bix: The Early History

Sanitarium NZ acquired Weet-Bix factories in Christchurch & Auckland, 1930

As sales of Weet-Bix manufactured in Sydney had gained popularity in NZ, Grain Products opened a factory in Christchurch during 1928 to use the wheat grown from the Canterbury Plains. Later that same year, Grain Products Ltd also opened a Weet-Bix factory in Auckland on Randolph Street. A description of the Auckland factory and the making of Weet-Bix appeared in the Sun newspaper in April 1930. (See: Papers Past: Sun (Auckland) (5 April 1930): "Weet-Bix for Breakfast", p.6). Both factories were sold to the Sanitarium Health Food Company in NZ in 1930. 

Source: Weet-Bix: The Early History

Sanitarium's factory at Papanui in Christchurch upgraded, 1931

Direct deliveries of Sanitarium's products & British Marmite began & wholesale warehouses set up at Christchurch & Auckland factories

British Marmite marketed: Household recipes, School lunches, & Sanitarium Café menus

6.  during WWII, Marmite & Vegemite sent to NZ &                   Australian troops & promoted to households

7.  Sanitarium Health Foods NZ began producing own       version of Marmite in 1944

During 1930s, Sanitarium began experimenting with producing Marmite using local ingredients which led to NZ's version of Marmite being launched later in 1944.

8.  Post-WWII, Vegemite became available again in NZ           shops

The health benefits of Vegemite also began to be promoted in cinemas in an advertisement "Sister knows best" set in a health care centre where a nursing sister gives advice to mothers. See: Australian Screen: Vegemite Cinema Advertisement: Sister Knows Best (c.1948: 1.58 min)

9.  Vegemite owner undergoes name change to Kraft        Foods Ltd in 1950

In 1950, the Kraft Walker Cheese Company Ltd, which sold both cheese and Vegemite, became known as Kraft Foods Ltd. It built a new plant on Cook Street at Fisherman's Bend in Port Melbourne.

Commercial "Happy Little Vegemites" produced 1954

A commercial jingle 'Happy Little Vegemites'' was produced for radio in 1954. The jingle was composed by advertising executive Alan Weeks and arranged as a 6/8 march by band leader and musical director Bob Gibson. It was sung by adult Betty Parker imitating a child’s voice, her younger 6 year old sister Julia and nine year old brother Stephen Parker, and her six year old daughter, Linda Marcy. (See: Australian Screen: Happy Little Vegemites (1959)

The jingle was adapted for TV and cinema advertisements from 1956 until the 1960s. The Vege-Mites group of eight singers and dancers were filmed for television performing 'Happy Little Vegemites' and a girl and boy ate vegemite on bread. (See: Youtube: Australian Television Archive; The Happy Little Vegemite Song - Full Original Commercial (1:06 mins).) A reunion was held in 2007 after a national search located the performers.  A later version of the TV advert for cinema featured Bob Gibson and his four-piece ensemble, a group of four singing girls (Anne Edwards, Denise Simpson, Irene O’Brien and Marilyn Taylor) and the girl and boy eating vegemite, and also included the health benefits of Vegemite. The recording was made at 2GB and then filmed at Cinesound Studios at Balmain. (See videoclip: Australian Screen: A rose in every cheek (2:06 min])  

10.  Sanitarium expanded production, 1950s - 60s

Opened third factory which it located at Palmerston North, 1952-1996

Replaced Marmite's white glass jars with clear glass during 1950s

Opened new Auckland factory (1961) & relocated its head office to Auckland (1964)

During  the 1950s, plans were made to upgrade Sanitarium's Auckland factory initially built by Grain Products in late 1920s. A new factory was built on Pah Road, Royal Oak which opened in 1961. Later, the Auckland factory became Sanitarium New Zealand's head office in 1964.

Sanitarium's Christchurch factory producing Marmite gutted by fire in 1966

11.  Marmite advertising during late 1960s - 1990s

The following timeline is provided on Marmite's website under Our story: A rich history:

12.  Vegemite advertising, 1960s - 1990s

13.  Vegemite & Marmite in the news, 2000s

Kraft releases new version of Vegemite combined with cream cheese, 2009

On 13 June 2009, Kraft released a new version of Vegemite which was combined with Kraft cream cheese. Initially launched as “VEGEMITE NAME ME”, a competition was run by Kraft to give the new flavour a name. Kraft chose iSnack 2.0 which was announced at the AFL (Australian Football League) Grand Final on 28 September. Following criticism of the name iSnack 2.0 from the public, Kraft held a poll for one of eight name choices on its website. Kraft then announced on 7 October 2009 that the new name would be 'Vegemite Cheesybite'. The following year, the 'Happy Little Vegemites' commercial was re-released. When Bega Cheese purchased the Vegemite brand from Kraft in 2017, it renamed "Vegemite Cheesybite' as "Vegemite & Cheese". (Source: Wikipedia: Vegemite)

14.  Marmite celebrated 100 years in NZ in 2010

15.  Christchurch earthquake (22 Feb 2011) led to                   shortage of Marmite until Feb 2013

Sanitarium announced Marmite stocks had run out on 19 March 2012

But there's Vegemite!

When Sanitarium announced on 19 March 2012 that stocks of Marmite had run out, NZ Prime Minister John Key was interviewed the next morning on TV3's Firstline which was reported in the NZ Herald:

Sanitarium is urging consumers not to "freak out" as it works to relocate its Marmite manufacturing facilities to a safer part of the Christchurch site. But it is asking consumers to ration their Marmite use while supplies are spread thin. Mr Key said he too will have to spread thin to ensure his supply lasts. "I only have got a very small amount in my office and once that runs out I'm aware supplies are very short." However Mr Key told Firstline this morning that he also likes the Australian-made rival Vegemite. "I've got to be honest, I can eat both."

Source: NZ Herald Online Staff (20 March 2012), "'Marmageddon': There's always Vegemite, says PM", The New Zealand Herald

Shortage of Marmite dubbed 'Marmageddon'

16.  Vegemite's ownership changes to Mondelēz                     International Inc, 2 July 2013

In October 2012, the Kraft Foods Ltd split into two independent companies - Mondelēz International Inc and Kraft Foods Group. As from 2 July 2013, Kraft Foods' companies in the Asia Pacific region, including New Zealand, became known as Mondelēz International which manufactured Vegemite, Cadbury Dairy Milk and other food products. (See: Business Scoop: Name change for Kraft Foods, 2 July 2013.) Later in March 2015, the Kraft Foods Group (which had founded Kraft Peanut Butter (1931), Kraft Mayonnaise, Cheddar Portions, and Cracker Barrel Cheese (1954), Philadelphia Cream Cheese (1956) as well as salad dressings, sandwich spreads and singles sliced cheese) merged with H.J. Heinz Co.

17.  Vegemite & Marmite in the news, including aiding          others, during 2010s

Cook Street in Port Melbourne renamed Vegemite Way, May 2016

Cook Street in Port Melbourne where Vegemite is produced by food manufacturer Mondelēz, was officially renamed Vegemite Way on 4 April 2016. See article: Adam Jones (4 April 2016), "Melbourne now has a street named after Vegemite", TimeOut

Marmite in the news during 2017 - 2018 

18.  Vegemite brand sold to Australian Bega Cheese             Ltd, Jan 2017

Bega Cheese launched advertising campaign, new products & branded merchandise

Bega Cheese launched its “Start Happy with VEGEMITE” campaign for breakfasts in 2017. This was followed by a range of new products manufactured with other companies that included Vegemite, eg. "Arnott's Shapes in VEGEMITE and Cheese", and Boost Juice's Vegemite smoothie. See listing on the timeline at Vegemite:  About: 100 Mitey Years. A range of branded merchandise and promotional material were also produced which was listed on its Mitey Merch online store.  During 2019, a gluten-free variant of Vegemite was released after two years of research with gluten-free baker's yeast replacing brewer's yeast.

Bega Cheese launched shipping of Vegemite to the US, Canada & UK in Nov 2019

19.  Manufacturing of Sanitarium Marmite moves                   from Christchurch to Auckland in 2019

From the mid-1980s until 2019, the Sanitarium factory in Christchurch manufactured all the Marmite sold in the South Pacific. After the Christchurch earthquake in 2011, the factory had closed down in stages due to damage and the manufacturing of Marmite switched to the Auckland factory in 2019. The Marmite webpage Questions Answers states that Marmite "contains yeast, sugar, salt, mineral salt (potassium chloride), colour (caramel III), corn maltodextrin, mineral (iron), vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, B12), herbs, spices".

20.  Marmite in the news, 2020 - 

During the 2020s, Sanitarium has continued to promote Marmite and released a range of branded merchandise, including clothing, in partnership with other business, eg Cotton On. See photographs and descriptions on its website: Marmite: Marmites Merch, URL: https://marmite.co.nz/shop/

21.  Vegemite in the news, 2020 - 

New partnerships, merchandise & products

During the 2020s, Bega Cheese has continued to team up with other businesses (eg Domino's cheesy VEGEMITE pizza in 2021). It has released a range of new products and branded merchandise, including clothing and footwear, and a new recipe book. The 'Bega' logo first appeared on Vegemite jars when Cheesybite rebranded as 'VEGEMITE and Cheese' in 2022. See photographs and descriptions on its website: Vegemite: 100 Mitey Years, URL: https://vegemite.com.au/100-mitey-years/

Factory at Port Melbourne declared Heritage site (2022), & sold & leased back (2023 - )

Kraft's factory built in the 1950s at Fisherman's Bend, Port Melbourne was listed, together with its distinctive Vegemite smell, as a Heritage site by the City of Melbourne Council in May 2022. (See: Trust Advocate: City of Melbourne recognises the “olfactory heritage” of the Vegemite Factory)

The site and its production plant owned by Bega Cheese since 2017 was placed on the market in May 2022. It was purchased by Charter Hall in 2023 for $114.6 million and Bega signed a 15-year lease with a further 10-year option to extend. (See article: Carolyn Cummins (27 June 2023), "Happy little Vegemites as factory stays in local hands", Sydney Morning Herald)

Vegemite celebrated 100 years in 2023

Vegemite celebrated its 100 years in Australia and New Zealand during 2023. To mark the occasion, Australia released a new take on the TV advertisement: 'Happy little Vegemites' first released in 1956. See: Youtube: 9 News Australia: "New generation of happy little Vegemites enlisted for new take on old ad  (1;56 mins)

22. NZ media spreading the news on Vegemite &                      Marmite during 2024 - 2025

Wellington maternity wards & Vegemite memory for MP

School lunch programme in NZ & PM's Marmite sandwiches

Vegemite and Canadian cafés

 23.  Nowadays: Aussie Vegemite, Kiwi Marmite &                        British 'Our Mate' sold in NZ                    

• Vegemite produced by Australian Bega Cheese Ltd at Port Melbourne manufactures more than 22 million jars annually and continues to be promoted in Australia, NZ and other Pacific Island countries. It also also shipped to North America and the United Kingdom, and is available from retail outlets in European and Asian countries listed on its website's FAQs page.

• Marmite produced by Sanitarium New Zealand at its Auckland factory is available in New Zealand. It is sold as "NZ-Mite" in the UK to avoid trademark infringements with British Marmite.

• British Marmite which was initially owned by the Marmite Food Extract Company in 1902 has undergone ownership changes: Marmite Limited became a subsidiary of Bovril Limited in 1924; then was bought by CPC International Inc. (1990) which changed its name to Best Foods Inc in 1998. Best Foods Inc subsequently merged with Unilever in 2000. Unilever sells the British Marmite as 'Our Mate' in Australia and New Zealand to avoid trademark infringements.

                               >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Find out more:

• Marmite Museum: The history of Marmite; URL: https://www.marmitemuseum.co.uk/marmite-history/

• Marmite: Our story - A rich history, URL: https://marmite.co.nz/our-story/

• Migration Museum: Marmite: the quintessentially British brand… made by a migrant; URL: https://www.migrationmuseum.org/marmite-the-quintessentially-british-brand-made-by-a-migrant/

• Sanitarium: Marmite FAQs, URL: http://www.marmite.co.nz/home-page/faqs

• Sanitarium: Moments that made us, URL:https://www.sanitarium.com/nz/about/sanitarium-story/history

• Vegemite: About - Vegemite story; URL: https://vegemite.com.au/heritage/the-vegemite-story/

• Vegemite: FAQs, URL: https://vegemite.com.au/faqs/

• Wikipedia: Marmite (New Zealand); URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmite_(New_Zealand)

• Wikipedia: Vegemite; URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite

This DigitalNZ story was compiled in June 2025