Vegemite
Vegemite Is An Australian Icon
Vegemite was developed in 1922 by Australian food technologist, Cyril P Callister, and marketed by a Melbourne businessman, Fred Walker.
In 1923 Fred Walker purchased from Carlton and United Brewery the thick, dark, yeast paste left-over from the beer making process. He gave the paste to his chemist to see what could be done with it and from this previous waste product, ‘Vegemite’ was created.
It took some time for Vegemite to gain popularity. Walker promoted Vegemite as “The Vitamin vegetable paste for use in sandwiches, soups, stews and gravies…full of vitamins…” Vegemite’s reputation for nutrition was boosted when infant welfare centers recommended its use for toddlers to receive their quota of vitamins B1, B2 and Niacin, but the manufacturers failed to mention that it also contained 10% salt. It has since had its salt levels reduced but in its early days it was marketed as a ‘health’ food. In 1954 a radio jingle “Happy Little Vegemites” promoting it to children boosted sales enormously creating a generation of children that loved it.
Shortly after the Second World War, Walker sold his business together with the rights to Vegemite to the American Food producer Kraft. So whilst it is manufactured by an American owned company, it is recognized as an Australian icon.
Fred Walker also developed other Food lines liked canned butter, liver pastes and potted cheese. One of his more successful products aside from Vegemite was a beef extract he called Bonox which was very popular and still available today.
Vegemite is actually made from the yeast
left-overs of the beer making process
