Today I give props to bunchofpants‘s Flickr photoset on Marmite. I don’t really know what Marmite is, but the Marmite FAQ claims:
Marmite is dark brown-colored savory spread made from the yeast that is a by-product of the brewing industry. It has a very strong, slightly salty flavor. It is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it type of food.
And, yes, Marmite competes with Vegemite, and both appear to be made of the same stuff. From the Kraft Food’s Vegemite For Kids:
In 1922, a Melbourne man called Fred Walker (who started the Fred Walker Company which eventually became Kraft Foods Limited in Australia) had the bright idea of using yeast extract left over from the manufacture of beer to create a wonderful source of vitamin B and a tasty new spread that every Australian will grow up with. But it took many years before the product became a success. Fortunately Fred was a determined and clever marketer as we’ll see.
But the fact is, Marmite has better TV ads. And even better, they’re taking advantage of the “love it or hate it” issue in their marketing. Smart folks, eh? (Two notes about the TV ad: you’ll have to “live” in the UK to watch it, and take a look at how those Brits run.)
[update:] 80s Music Lyrics tells us that though Marmite and Vegemite are are made in similar ways and share a similar taste, “Aussies will always tell you that Vegemite is far superior.”