Being an American, I’ve never really been interested in trying Vegemite, that staple of many Australians’ diets.
Until I heard that the U.S. had banned it.
Then I just had to get my hands on some. Unfortunately, none of the local grocery stores carry it or seem to have even heard of it. And all of the U.S.-based online retailers I visited either didn’t carry it or listed it as “out of stock” with no idea when any might be available again.
According to Wikipedia, Vegemite “is made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacture, and various vegetable and spice additives.” This apparently results in a somewhat bitter, malty taste that somewhat resembles beef bouillon. To the average American, this hardly seems appetizing, but many Australians swear by it and are outraged enough so that some Australian expatriates in the U.S. have launched a campaign to Save Vegemite from the U.S. ban.
But wait, what about this ban? How did a common food get banned and nobody heard about it?
Former Geelong man Daniel Fogarty, who now lives in Calgary, Canada, said he was stunned when searched while crossing the US border recently.
“The border guard asked us if we were carrying any Vegemite,” Mr Fogarty said.
“I was flabbergasted.” Paul Watkins, who owns a store called About Australia in San Antonio, Texas, said he had been forced to stop importing Vegemite six months ago.
“We have completely stopped bringing it in,” he said.
“(US authorities) have made a stance and there is nothing that can be done about it.” — Queensland Courier-Mail
Apparently the ban has something to do with folate (folic acid), a B vitamin, which it’s said the Food and Drug Administration only allows to be added to breads and cereals. Why exactly would the FDA be complaining about vitamins being added to food?
Kraft spokeswoman Joanna Scott said: “The (US) Food and Drug Administration doesn’t allow the import of Vegemite simply because the recipe does have the addition of folic acid.”
The US was “a minor market” for Vegemite, she said. — Perth Sunday Times
“Part of me is taking comfort that this truly is a non-tariff barrier implemented to protect consumer health (misguided though that aim may be), rather than an act of disguised protectionism designed to shield the politically powerful import-competing domestic Vegemite industry located in electorally important swing-states,” wrote Cato Institute policy analyst and Australian expatriate Sallie James. “But it’s unfair all the same. And I’m angry.”
The Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C., said Monday that it’s looking into the situation.
“From our perspective there is no food safety issue with Vegemite and we had been advised recently by US authorities that Vegemite was not of concern to them,” an Australian embassy spokeswoman told Reuters.
One blogger notes that something doesn’t quite add up in this ban, discovering that the import of Vegemite actually is banned from the United Kingdom because of some obscure bureaucratic regulation which seems to have nothing to do with folic acid, but nothing about an import ban from Australia. “I think here at this point we have run into the surreal,” writes Cerebral Soup, noting that some media outlets are beginning to question the original story.
I think the only way to find out if there’s a ban or not is the simple way: Try to order some Vegemite and see if it arrives. To that end, I’m having some sent here directly from Australia. I actually tried to order some from a U.S. distributor, but every single one I could find listed it as out of stock and could not say when more stock might arrive.
I’ll let you all know if it arrives, or if the Department of Homeland Security seizes it at the border.
The government has absolutely no right to tell me what I can and cannot eat. You can be sure there’s going to be outrage if my Vegemite doesn’t arrive.
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Dean
Oct 24, 2006
If anything its about how retarded most bureacracies usually are and how institutions such as the FDA behave… WHY should we have to test out a spastic law by importing vegemite… shouldnt this shebang run on logic? PS. IF THIS WEBSITE SEEMS TO BELIEVE IN INTELLIGIENCE WHY DOES IT SUPPORT NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM.
Michael Hampton
Oct 24, 2006
Your Caps Lock is on. That’s not very intelligent. :)
With regard to Vegemite, why not import it? It will make a nice demonstration of exactly how stupid this whole thing is.
Christopher
Oct 24, 2006
The ban may be due to excessive amount of folate. Anything over 0.8mg
requires a prescription in the US. (OTC versus Rx)
Q
Oct 24, 2006
this is just rediculous. where’s that freedom we were fighting to protect?
whats next a ban on fuits and veggies? we already have cirtain ones taht are illegal in the states, this is going to far. what good reason do they have to ban vitamins from foods, these people are out of thier minds.
Steven Katz
Oct 24, 2006
I am an American. I’ve been to Australia 5 times and I’ve fallen in
love with the people, the scenery, the flora and fauna, the culture,
and the food, including Vegemite. I’ve brought some back each trip,
and nobody in customs stopped me. The secret to enjoying a bit of
Vegemite on bread or toast, with butter, is to use it VERY sparingly.
If you pile it on like peanut butter, you’ll gag. It’s potent. An amount
the size of a pea will do for a slice of bread, and spread it out. It
does taste a bit like salty beef bullion, but it’s delicious. See
www.vegemite.com.au for more details. Banning something this good from
the US market is really stupid. We don’t have a lot of friends among
the nations these days, but Australia stands out as a true ally. This
is a slap in the face to them and that’s sad.
Andrew
Oct 24, 2006
My wife’s American and I’m Australian. She is FURIOUS that her (other) country treats its second closest ally — probably the closest in the war on terror — with such contempt.
But this is hardly new. The US regularly dumps wheat and sugar in traditional Australian markets while at the same time complaining about our relatively small beef and lamb imports. It lobbies for the end of our Pharmceutical Benefits Scheme in order to generate even more obscene profits for US drug companies. Sadly, the list of such one-sided trade arrangements is long and growing.
While Americans generally don’t care what most of the world thinks about them — “Hell, we’ll just bomb them back into the dark ages if they don’t like it!” — such rank hypocrisy does cause tensions, mistrust and annimosity between your great nation and virtually all others on earth … even your closest friends!
rob
Oct 24, 2006
Marmite is horrible horrible horrible.
Andrew
Oct 24, 2006
Rob — That’s because Marmite is British. Their yeast extract tases just as bad as the disgusting, warm beer it originated from.
Jim
Oct 25, 2006
Marmite is great and so is English (not British) beer. Regular deliveries of Marmite are sent to ex-pats and friendly colonials.
Can’t say I like Vegemite, then I’m English and there has always been antipathy towards the Aussie imitation. Oz beer is not a lot of cop either!!!
rob
Oct 25, 2006
Sorry, but Australia couldn’t make decent beer if its life depended on it.
Harris Brio
Oct 25, 2006
I’m wondering if anyones been asked lately “why do they hate freedom”…
Fortyseven
Oct 25, 2006
Snopes is saying it’s all BS.
But why would this get out there in the first place?
Dana
Oct 26, 2006
Australian beer? Maybe their exports aren’t any good, but I really liked Redback. Of course, I don’t like beer, much, but my dad, who loves beer, also loved it. So there.
It is ironic that Vegemite is made by our very own Kraft foods.
Snopes says its fake…and news.com.au that reported the story earlier has now backtracked.
Of course, it is completely sold out everywhere. Hmm. My Aussie husband thinks it is a conspiracy by Kraft foods to up their sale of Vegemite in the US.
And Michael, Vegemite is horrid stuff. It is one of those “acquired” tastes. The smell is horrid. Watching my husband lather it thick on a cheese sandwich is enough to make my stomach turn. And when his precious supply is run out, he actually lick out the jar. Igit.
Sandy Skelton
Oct 26, 2006
Hi! I come from the land downunder. Yep I’m a true blue Aussie from
Sunny Queensland! Thanks to most of you, for your undying support.
We really appreciate it! Whilst the ban on Vegemite was shocking to
us all, as we have enjoyed the unusual flavour for so many years, it’s
great to see that the controversy has resulted in more people trying it
out to see what all the fuss is about. I say it’s probably one of
the reasons we are so laid back and easy to get along with …
we are all hyperactive on vegemite! :D Thanks again for your support.
We hope that although you might consider our beer less than pleasant,
that you might all be enjoying vegemite for many years to come. :)
Sandy Skelton.
David
Oct 27, 2006
Will that 80’s song that mentions vegemite sandwiches be next on this ban?
As far as beer making goes, one will find that only the European and Russian parts of the world know how to make it. That is continental Europe. Irish and Enlish beer sucks as bad as American piss-water.
I have found that the Russians actually make a fine beer called Baltika or some such thing. Very good. Better then Denmarks even.
Dana
Oct 28, 2006
btw, Aussies may not like me for saying this, but my opinion of the Herald Sun, where this story originated, is not particularly high. It ranks somewhere between The Enquirer and USA Today, two papers I generally only look at in the checkout aisle.
It has a decent sports section, I guess…that is what my husband looks forward to in his occasional copy, anyway. And everyone knows that sports is more important to the Aussie than just about anything else…especially Aussie Rules.
Andrew
Oct 28, 2006
Just a quick update, courtesy of the Herald sun in Victoria (Australia’s highest circulation newspaper, which has cleaned up its act considerably in the past 3 or 4 years):
KRAFT will fight for the right to resume importing Vegemite to the US after the country reconsidered its restriction on the famous spread.
The US Food and Drug Administration said this week that travellers carrying Vegemite would not be stopped, in response to revelations in the Sunday Herald Sun that Australians had been searched for the sandwich spread at the US-Canadian border.
While travellers are in the clear to pack their traditional breakfast fare, Kraft has not yet been given a green light to export Vegemite to the US, Kraft spokeswoman Joanna Scott said.
However, the American-owned company is in talks to end the deadlock, which has resulted in many stores in the US being unable to source supplies.
“We would hope to be in a position to be able to export and at the moment we are in discussions with authorities,” Ms Scott said.
“(Exporting) would be something we would try and do in the future.”
According to Kraft, the crackdown on Vegemite was prompted because it contains folate, which the US allows to be added only to breads and cereals.
Crosbie Fitch
Oct 30, 2006
Vegemite? Marmite?
Pah!
You want BOVRIL!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovril
jpb
Oct 30, 2006
It is probably something no less stupid than the fact that “vegemite” is probably a vegetable version of “dynamite”, and therefore cannot possibly be allowed in!
P.S. to David: If you think all American beer is “piss-water”, you obviously havent’ frequented any of the better purveyors of spirits in your neighborhood. There are now many fine American brews to be had (although admittedly not in the quantities that the yahoo beer can be found!).
Matthew
Nov 01, 2006
Lets clear a few things up.
1. Beer- If you are stupid enough to drink fosters then i pitty you, Tooheys New is good on weekdays, Crownines(crown lager) on weekends.
2. Vegemite- Vegemite is like vodka is to a russian, we are given it at birth and the taste sticks, personally, i prefer mine on Sao’s and on toast with cheese slices^_^
Appreciate the support, this is about as stupid as indonesia banning Bundy rum because it may enduce violence, so does JI but hey they can run free, Its hard to track down a good bundy in Bali, and its the best place for it!
Nov 01, 2006
Vegemite ban update - Homeland Stupidity
Anonymous
Nov 06, 2006
So, the US government says vegemite is too nasty to be imported into the precious US of A. But it’s perfectly OK for a US company to manufacture this supposedly unhealthy food and sell it to everyone else in the world.
The US should ban the manufacture or sale of vegemite anywhere in the world, and prosecute Kraft and the company executives responsible. Bet you they don’t.
Cathy
Nov 08, 2006
I’m one of those rarest of all yanks that not only loves Vegemite, I can make an Aussie sick watching me eat it. So after the global panic that ensued over the “news†that Vegemite was being banned in the U.S. I got on the next plane and went straight to Australia to restock my diminishing stash, which is cheaper than buying a year’s supply in the U.S. which is priced similarly to beluga caviar. OK – the truth is I was actually already down there and learned of it from a concerned stranger I met on a train in Sydney (but if I hadn’t already been there, then I would have been on the next plane).
My sympathetic new friend tried to console me as I stared hopelessly out the window in utter despair after hearing the news; my eyes misty, lip quivering. He understood. We have a lot of things to deal with being yanks, but this – this was just too much. I think he was even crying a little himself, thinking of all his Aussie brethren now trapped on foreign shores, their Vegemite supply brutally cut off without even as much as a warning. This wasn’t just wrong, it was downright inhumane. But what could we do?
Protest? Riot? Try to start a grassroots movement? Then it came, an idea so beautiful that I thought I heard trumpets sounding from the heavens as my friend explained it to me. He and I – we were best friends by this time – we would start a smuggling operation getting contraband Vegemite over the U.S. border. He would be the supplier and I’d be the distributor. Neither of us knew anything about being criminals but I figured finding a mentor once I flew back into L.A. shouldn’t take too long. What we knew with absolute certainty was that there were millions to be made here and that once we worked out the logistics and a few details, we could consume Vegemite from matching massage tables on board our new Lear jet.
The only thing more devastating than finding out that Vegemite was banned now is that it probably isn’t. As soon as I knew the source of that the original “news,†I knew that all those beautiful plans my friend and I had spent an entire afternoon in a pub creating had been in vain. Oh well. At least our local Aussies can sleep peacefully again and as for me, I thought I’d go back down and ask my friend if he wants to meet in the pub again. The U.S. has a distinct shortage of Aussie beef pies…
Mary
Dec 24, 2006
I can’t understand the ban. If its about too much folate…
what the heck is wrong with that. I guess the US doesn’t mind other additives to food like aspertame… which causes brain tumors and other terrible side effects..and is made from formaldyhide. Bring back the Vegemite. It was here in Canada when I arrived 8 years ago. Why the sudden change of tactics. I’m 56 and I’m a strong and healthy Aussie gal. Grew up on the stuff. BRING IT BACK ..
Jessi
Jan 31, 2007
I can’t see what the fuss is about even though I’ve never tried it I think that people should be able to eat what they want when they want to. Also I think eating a new food is a great way of learning a new cultural experience.
Sara
Jun 14, 2007
I miss vegemite every morning so does my daughter, i wonder if any australian has ever suffered a chronic vegemite ailment? i have never heard of it? they should be more concerened with banning the excessive fat in the fast food outlets than worrying about getting extra vitamins!
I also thought it was very typically australian of the messages to have somehow managed to get around to the topic of beer, i personally really miss a 50 (half tooheys old and half tooheys new) Also a new beer that came out not long before i left called blue tongue – i would suggest you all taste test this one on your next trip home.
Trevor
Aug 03, 2007
Safeway in Alberta stopped selling Vegemite and replaced it on their shelves with Marmite from England. When I emailed them and asked why they couldn’t give me a reason. This English version of Marmite is just terrible and nothing like the Vegemite and Marmite I ate growing up in New Zealand.
Dave
Aug 26, 2007
Only a complete idiot would fall for this story!!! THERE IS NO BAM! YOu people are all dumb. Look it up on snoops. lol
Dave
Aug 26, 2007
No “BAN” I mean.
Michael Hampton
Aug 26, 2007
Dave, it looks like you failed to read the update to this story.
Dave
Aug 26, 2007
I saw your update and in it you still give the impression there was or is a ban when you talk about getting things into the US.
There never was any ban. You got suckered by an urban legend and ran with it.
Michael Hampton
Aug 26, 2007
You say I got suckered, and yet the update says exactly the same thing as snopes.com. Are you calling them suckers, too?
Romeo
Nov 07, 2007
If all else fells, you probly can order it from canada.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Erica
Feb 10, 2008
That is so wrong I love vegimite after my trip to australia. This really erks me.
Erica
Feb 10, 2008
You can’t import it, it wont clear custums
Anonymous
Feb 28, 2008
vegimite is so incredibly good for you.
if you are a smoker, a drinker, using hormonal contraceptive, drug taker of any kind of a planning on having a healthy pregnancy you should be eating Vegemite out of the jar with a spoon. It is the highest known source of vitamin B, and if you ever find the time to look up the health benefits of B1 B2 B3 and folate you’ll be happily suprised.
Vince
Nov 23, 2009
My lord you people are morons. Vegemite is 100% legal in the United States. I’m downing a sandwich as I type.
Vic
Feb 23, 2010
I have a feeling Cathy that anyone who would buy a plane ticket to get vegemite smokes the jars and throws out the contents? It can be ordiered via web sources FYI.