Vegemite - truly Australian?
January 24th 2011 10:36
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The Australian of
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Australian food
The most recognised jar in Australia
Rich in Vitamin B this spread, named Vegemite, went on to become as Australian as footballs, meat pies and kangaroos even.
When I lived overseas, it was easy to pick the Aussie backpacker just by the small jar of Vegemite they carried in their backpack.
It wasn't always popular with Australians though. According to the official Vegemite history it took 14 long years of perseverance from the Fred Walker Company before Vegemite finally gained acceptance and recognition as an Aussie icon.
It was named in a competition with hundreds of entries all vying for the fifty pound prize.
Did you know that due to poor sales, Walker changed the name of Vegemite to Parwill in 1928 with the slogan 'if Marmite...then Parwill.'?
However, it soon became obvious to Walker that the Vegemite brand could work and the name was changed back.
It was described as "Delicious on sandwiches and toast, and improves the flavour of soups, stews and gravies".
Generations of young Aussie children have grown up with the familiar, salty tang on their toast in the morning spread with lashings of butter or margarine or in their lunchboxes at school, usually accompanied with cheese.
Again while overseas, a number of us Aussies were asked to sing our national anthem one day. We actually got up and sang the 'Happy Little Vegemites' song.
Vegemite is nostalgic for many as well as delicious and undoubtedly will be eaten by millions of young and old Aussies this Australia day. Not as an obvious statement of our Australian-ness but because there really is no better alternative on our toast.
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