What was vegemite first made out of

All Aussies know of the iconic, unofficial anthem of our nation, the toe-tapping jingle of Happy Little Vegemites. Originating to a trio of energetic youngsters singing this song on radio in , two years later Kraft Foods turned this song into a TV Campaign that you just have to sing along to.

These iconic commercials were colourised and broadcast to a new generation of Aussies in the s. This anthem still remains today; reminding the nation of their favourite brand, the commercial was brought out once again in However, this was soon taken off the market. With a milder taste My First Vegemite, a special formula suitable for children older than one year, appeared in , however, much like earlier attempts it was soon taken off the market.

The popularity of this cheesy spread has resulted in sales continuing to this day. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.

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But what inspired Vegemite to be created in the first place? In , an Australian food creator, Fred Walker, wanted to have a similar version of Marmite , a quintessential British spread with a sweet and salty taste that is made from yeast extract. He worked with a chemist, Cyril Percy Callister, to help him craft the product, now known as Vegemite. Initially, the spread didn't fly off the shelves. When supplies were halted by German U-boats attacking merchant ships in World War I, the nation found themselves desperate for a substitute to satisfy their Marmite craving.

Australian entrepreneur Fred Walker commissioned a chemist named Cyril Callister to devise an alternative in After months of perfecting the recipe in the lab, the dark, yeasty paste later known as Vegemite was born. To drum up publicity around their new product, The Fred Walker Company launched a nationwide competition to name it ahead of its debut.

Consumers were hesitant to give an unfamiliar competitor a shot, so Vegemite sales floundered. The updated slogan went: "If Marmite, Parwill! By the late s, the brand had finally started to receive some recognition. It was officially endorsed by the British Medical Association in and advertisements for it began appearing in the British Medical Journal.

Vegemite had established itself as a staple of Australian pantries by the s.