Vegemite first hit shelves 94 years ago today

TODAY marks 94 years since the yeasty, salty, black national icon hit shelves in Australia and it’s growing stronger every week.

OH, Australia. The country where the yeasty scraps from the bottom of a beer barrel have become a national icon.

Almost makes a patriotic tear run down a rosy cheek, doesn’t it?

Unlike most nonagenarians, Vegemite is bounding towards its centennial year with as much vigour as ever.

It’s growing stronger every week.

Today marks 94 years since the yeasty, salty, black deliciousness developed by a young Victorian chemist, Dr. Cyril P Callister, finally hit shelves in Australia.

And while we can’t get enough of the unusual tasting spread, our fervour for it, along with the product itself, continues to perplex all outside Australia, as no doubt it will continue to do for all time.

More for us, huzzah!

To celebrate Vegemite’s birthday, here are a few things you may not know about our beloved breakfast staple. Or you might, whatevs.

We heart you, Vegemite.

IT WAS NAMED IN A PUBLIC NAMING COMPETITION

The Australians of 1923 really let us down, when you compare the Vegemite name to what has now become the gold standard of public naming competitions.

Vegie McVegFace anyone?

When Vegemite was developed in 1922, there was 50 quid on offer to the lucky person whose suggestion was chosen as the name for the new spread, that had been touted as pure vegetable extract.

Given the need for it arose from the wartime shortage of the English-produced Marmite, it seems an obvious choice but let’s just say, it wasn’t an instant hit.

Cyril Callister, the inventor of Vegemite and thus pretty much the father of the nation. Picture: Adam Head

IT WAS A FLOP FOR 14 YEARS

Unfortunately for Vegemite’s distributors (though undoubtedly good for the world), the war had ended.

Marmite was once again in abundant supply in Australia and there was no prying ye olde English spread from the stubborn hands of a nation whose citizens still clinging to the motherland’s apron strings.

So, when Vegemite failed to crack the market, it went for a rebrand.

In 1928, it’s name was changed to Parwill.

But wait, it gets worse. The slogan was, “If Marmite, Parwill.”

In a huge surprise*, that name and campaign stunk up the place.

Seriously, it’s amazing Vegemite even survived. But survive it did.

It returned to its original name and we dodged a giant Parwill bullet.

Vegemite in 1927, before this insanity was rectified.

“Look how cute he is with his Parwill toast all over his face,” said no one ever, thank you marketing fail.

While ye olde Australians were still gripping to their Marmite, not even they could resist endorsement from the motherland itself in the form of glowing praise of its nutritional benefit from none other than the British Medical Journal.

That was followed, some years later, by the charms of a cutesy, catchy jingle sung by rosy-cheeked kiddies in marching band getup and that was it for Marmite.

Marmite-not. Bye, Felicia.

Has anyone even tried that sludge in the past 60 years?

*Zero surprise

ITS FORMULA IS SECRET SQUIRREL

Like all the world’s most valuable formulas — Colonel Sanders’ 11 herbs and spices, the original Coca-Cola recipe, some other things, probably — the Vegemite recipe remains top secret.

We actually don’t know what’s in this but hey, it keeps the kids quiet.

We know the basics — sludgy, yeasty, beer by-product and about a metric s***-tonne of salt — but the recipe that makes the thick black spread the deliciousness it is remains closely guarded.

It is though, according to the company, the very same as the one that hit the shelves on this day in 1923, the one developed by Dr Cyril himself.

THE YANKS HAVE SURRENDERED IT

In news that undoubtedly made Pauline Hanson happy, after many years of foreign rule, Vegemite returned to Australian hands earlier this year, when its parent brand was bought by Bega Cheese for $460 million.

Warning: Child is inedible.

Sadly for the One Nation leader, however, it is halal-certified.

Can’t win ’em all.

IT’S BEEN BANNED IN SOME AUSTRALIAN PRISONS AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

Victorian prison authorities banned Vegemite in 2007, after it was discovered that some prisoners had been trying to make booze from it.

For the same reason, its use has also been restricted in dry outback communities.

But sorry, bootleggers, while a couple of scientists did an experiment for The Conversationback in 2015 and found it was virtually impossible to make moonshine from it.

But, hey, what does science know. You have the power of the internet at your disposal.

Don’t let science crush your dreams.

Prisoners sacrificed this for bootleg booze?

VEGEMITE’S THE BEST, CHUCK OUT THE REST

Remember Vegemite singles, children of the ’90s? Ugh. So gross.

But, with the lessons of history obviously not heeded in any way, shape or form, when enough years passed after that disaster, there was the jar version, Vegemite Cheesybite.

If you can’t be bothered buying plastic cheese and a jar of Vegemite, you probably deserve these taste catastrophes.

When you don’t learn the historical lessons of Parwill.

What about the marketing disaster that was iSnack? Talk about stinking up the place. Again.

Come back, Parwill, all is forgiven.

But then the ultimate fail. Vegemite chocolate?

Just stick with what you do best people.

22 million sales of the original each year demand it.

AND BECAUSE YOU MADE IT THIS FAR

You get an earworm for the rest of the day. You are very welcome.

The original happy little Vegemites.

We are happy little Vegemites, as bright as bright can be,

We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea,

Our mummy says we’re growing stronger every single week,

Because we love our Vegemite, we all adore our Vegemite —

It puts a rose in every cheek!

We’re growing stronger every week!

Originally published as Vegemite first hit shelves 94 years ago today