The History of Vegemite

Vegemite was invented by Dr. Cyril Callister in Australia in 1922. At the time, Callister was a chemist at the Fred Walker Company (which later became Kraft Foods Limited). Vegemite made its grocery store debut in 1923, but it didn’t catch on with the Australian public until 1939, after the British Medical Association praised the spread for its high vitamin B content. Vegemite was rationed during World War II, as much of the supply went to feeding the troops. Its popularity continued to grow throughout the postwar period in Australia, but it never caught on in the United States. Today, Australians are known for their love of Vegemite and often spread it on toast, crackers, and similar foodstuffs.