Vegemite - Nine out of Ten Australian Households Swear by It

Which is the one thing that nine out of ten Australians cannot do without? After Kangaroo and the slouch hat what is the symbol of Australia? You guessed it right! It's Vegemite, the sandwich spread. It was the original health food for the Australian troops to "fight the unseen enemy - skin and diet-deficiency diseases". Originally named "Parwill" by its inventor Fred Walker in 1923, the name Vegemite was given by one customer, who won the naming competition for giving Vegemite its name.

Vegemite is made from surplus yeast used in brewing beer, is ebony coloured and rich in vitamin B. It is refined, crushed into a fine paste that has a tangy, slightly tarry taste. Fred Walker was originally in the business of exporting canned butter to Eastern countries. He thought he could do the same thing with unpasteurised cheese and developed a product called Red Feather Cheese. But it got spoilt when canned.

Then in 1925, he met Kraft from United States, who had developed a method to keep cheese fresh. Fred Walker obtained a licence from Kraft to process his own cheese. Refrigerators were rare in those days and this cheese became popular and along with it, Vegemite.

But it took 14 years for Vegemite to become a household name in Australia. During the Second World War there was large scale shortage of the product because the military cornered it to keep the soldiers healthy.

In 1954 a unique song was developed to promote Vegemite featuring 3 children, the "Happy Little Vegmites". Vegemite is so popular that many overseas Australians demand it consistently. The manufacturer keeps ready to ship packs of 6 cans to cater to them. Nine out of Ten households in Australia swear by Vegemite and prefer it to jam or honey! Strangely enough, Vegemite is liked by Australians only. One can safely say that Vegemite is by the Australians and for the Australians!