Last week I reported on apparently overblown news that the U.S. was interdicting Vegemite, the national food of Australia, at the border. At the time, I said I was going to order some Vegemite from Australia to see what happens, and today, something happened.
Outraged Australian newspapers reported last week that people entering the U.S. were being searched for Vegemite and that U.S. vendors who sold imported Vegemite locally couldn’t obtain stock, because the U.S. was refusing to allow it to come in.
Later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration denied that it had called for a ban on Vegemite. The news even made it onto Internet urban legend site snopes.com, though they did jump the gun in calling the ban false; see below.
But before that news came in, I had already gone to every U.S. retailer I could find, both locally and online, to buy some Vegemite. None had it in stock. So I had some sent in directly from down under.
It arrived today.
Much to my surprise, Customs and Border Protection didn’t even bother to open and inspect it. See for yourself.
This is my very own 145g (about 5 oz) tube of Vegemite.
As for the U.S.-based retailers who have been out of stock of Vegemite for some time, well, they’re still out of stock, and still have no idea when they might have more Vegemite available. Kraft Foods has said it has temporarily stopped importing Vegemite while it resolves the issue of folate with the FDA.
Today’s lesson is that you can get anything into the U.S., ban or no ban. Bans just make it more annoying and difficult.
Finally, yes, I did try it. It’s definitely an acquired taste, but I suspect it’s one I’ll likely acquire.
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Andrew K.
Nov 01, 2006
Awesome, it made it!
/me adds ‘vegemite smuggler’ to resume
Jon D
Nov 01, 2006
nice work
martin english
Nov 01, 2006
to kmb…
Needs another 5 years (at least) before it’s edible.
kmb
Nov 01, 2006
I have a jar in my fridge you can borrow. Expiration date Oct 1996.
aaa
Nov 02, 2006
The World Market near me has plenty of vegemite in stock.
J. Bruno
Nov 02, 2006
DON’T EAT IT! IT’S PACKED WITH DEADLY FOLATE-POISON!!!
tj
Nov 03, 2006
Who did you order it from? I’m a (rare) Yank who loves the stuff and it’s pretty expensive at the local retailer.
Michael Hampton
Nov 03, 2006
TJ, you may as well buy it at the local retailer, while they still have any in stock! Shipping this item from Australia cost more than the Vegemite itself. At least for me it’s a business expense.
Dana Hanley
Nov 04, 2006
Hey…last night, my husband was online and found a 2.5 kilo jar of Vegemite. He’s still looking at spending his $50 in birthday money and that seems the best use of his money to him.
The little banner said, “Updated November 2. Vegemite in stock.”
I think the stupid report created a run on Vegemite and now it is all gone. I still say it was all planned : )
Michael Hampton
Nov 04, 2006
The Vegemite was out of stock before all the media attention.
Dana
Nov 04, 2006
Perhaps…my husband didn’t try to order any until after he heard about the story. The stories I read reported that it was still availabe in “some” places on the Tuesday after the report, but we couldn’t find anything on that Wed or Thurs.
Then again, it might have to do with the ban that was on Vegemite imported from England due to their labeling issues. (and I’m just joking about it being planned).
Paul
Nov 04, 2006
That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard! There is no good reason for it anywhere that I can find. It must be strictly political! Lets Ban Vitamin enriched foods but go ahead and buy a gun from your local retailer!!!!!
Rocko_W
Nov 05, 2006
Haha, those silly americans…
Michael
Nov 07, 2006
Vegemite is DIS-gusting. If you want the real deal eat Marmite, the
English forefather of the nasty Aussie stuff. If the US FDA indeed did
ban Vegemite then they did you all a big favour (or is that flavour?).
kmb
Nov 07, 2006
If you search fda.gov you will see that Marmite has also recently been confiscated at the border. Promite might be the way to go
Thomas
Nov 09, 2006
Well I ordered Vegemite from Australia too, to see whats all the fuzz
about. I tasted it and suddenly I realized why this ‘edible’ should be
banned.
Well having puked and slept over it I think that Vegemite should be at
least markt with a skull and two crossed bones.
Anyway I wonder why nobody can tell if or why Vegemite is banned or not.
What are reporters for if they don’t report. You never get to know the
end of such stories. That is annoying.
Michael Hampton
Nov 09, 2006
Obviously, no one told you how to eat it.
aaa
Nov 14, 2006
I just found this on the US Customs and Border Protection website, dispelling the rumor of a ban on vegemite:
Why is CBP Seizing Vegemite?
(10/31/2006)Rumor: CBP is seizing vegemite at the border because of its added folate.
Fact: The Code of Federal Regulations #172.345 allows folate to be added to a small number of foods, but vegemite is not one of them. However, according to the Food and Drug Administration, that there is no known prohibition on the importation of vegemite.
Therefore, there is no official policy within CBP targeting vegemite for interception.
kmb
Nov 14, 2006
And yet the FDA website contains multiple “refusals” for Vegemite and Marmite. I’m not aware that the FDA does any customs enforcement, so CBP must have been involved, yes? I doubt we will ever get the truth on this, but it’s certainly a nice example of the Keystone Cops syndrome prevalent in the US govt today (I am a US native so it’s not bashing America, just the truth…)
Vegemite:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061118141316/http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/1/ora_oasis_i_25.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20061118141328/http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/2/ora_oasis_i_37.html
Marmite:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061118141408/http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/9/ora_oasis_i_37.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20061118141354/http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/8/ora_oasis_i_27.html
aaa
Nov 14, 2006
I looked at the refusals and I think they are all related to labeling issues. It
is known that shipments of Vegemite from the UK were stopped because
the labels didn’t have all the necessary information on them. Those
incidents had nothing to do with folate or folic acid. I still have seen
no proof that Customs agents have targeted Vegemite as a banned item.
tom barber
Jan 24, 2007
yep……..vegamite taken at SFO last friday night.
a real big jar.son flew in from sydney via hawaii.
Aussie has to warn people the other end.
signed “very disappointed ”
tom barber
erin
Feb 05, 2007
were happy little vegemite as bright as bright can be we all enjoy our vegemite for breakfast lunch and tea our mummy says were growing stronger every single day because we love our vegemite we all enjoy our vegemite it puts a rose in every cheek
im an aussie and i love vegemite, no offence but ameria sucks for banning it i want to visit america one day but im not coming without my vegemite i just now have had a vegemite and cheese tastie for lunch mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm the best
erin
Feb 05, 2007
oops i mean toastie lol
chuck
Feb 08, 2007
utube YOU R A TOTAL FUCKWITT, HILBILLY AKANSAS INBRED KNOBJOCKEY. go get a job and stopp bluding and anoying the world .
billy
Feb 08, 2007
where can i get this stuff from legally in the US without getting shot? me and my friend are doing a school project and we need a jar of VEGEMITE!
hamletta
Feb 11, 2007
Billy, a company called “Simply Oz” has just had a shipment come in. They’re awaiting some kind of FDA approval, so it says “Out of Stock” on the product pages.
They’re located in WA.
D C
Feb 13, 2007
Hey, read the article. THERE IS NO BAN. It remains legal, and though a bit hard to find, can be had if you know where to look.
— Yankee Vegemite Addict
Anonymous
Feb 22, 2007
vegemite is the BEST!
smitty
Apr 04, 2007
I used to be able to buy Vegemite at Cost Plus World Markets and Mollie Stones in CA. Neither carry it anymore, and now I can’t get it anywhere. I need my vegemite!
BearishOne
May 23, 2007
World Market in Cary NC has pulled all Vegemite, leaving a sign that states it will be restocked once approval is given by the FDA.
mjaka
Jul 29, 2007
lololol i just had vegemite on toast
best ever
to the americans that have tried it and hate it
did u even eat it the right way??
i.e ON TOAST WITH BUTTER?!?!?!
oxford gooner
Aug 08, 2007
Why all this fuss about vegemite, try the real thing, Marmite on hot buttered toast, and best of all English knobbly chips called Twiglets
Aussie
Sep 21, 2007
hey, im an aussie and still not quite sure what all the huff is about? why did u’s ban vegemite?? then if you dont like it sell it back to us!!! what next…
Mark
Nov 16, 2007
I’m a Kiwi, and my mother just arrived in Colorado this week. I was hoping for a new jar on Vegemite, but to my surprise, none. It was taken off her by security at Auckland International Airport, as supposedly this was a new regulation instituted about 9 months ago. So don’t expect any one leaving NZ for the states to be bringing Vegemite.
Trev
Nov 29, 2007
They did the same to my supply of Vegamite. It was confiscated from a friend in Melbourne on his way to me here in the US (November 25)
S. Oda
Jan 18, 2008
Looks like axel grease, but from the moment I tasted it–instant addiction! In Aus loved it on toast with with slices of beautiful Queensland avocado.
But oh, how gloomy is Connecticut in January. Where around here can i get me some of the stuff to cheer me up?
Peter B
Feb 22, 2008
HI All,
I read this thread and must admit – i had a quiet chuckle.
Being an Ozzie who just moved to San Fran, I would find it very suprising for someone not brought up on this stuff to like it. Each to their own and i guess its what makes us all different.
Now to the serious question, does anyone know a local supermarket chain in San Fran who sells Vegemite as its been 6 weeks and my mouth is watering for some.
Cheers,
Pete