Vegemite

  Many people have heard of vegemite, on this page I will tell you a little about the yummy product.
 
 

Vegemite first appeared on our shelves in 1923. The yeast extract had its beginings after a man Fred Walker saw an opening for the product to be made in Australia after it became hard to import any yeast extract products from the U.K. He enlisted a young chemist called Dr Cyril P Callister to work on a yeast extract as well as the development of a shelf stable cheese. After many attempts they developed a spread but couldnt think of a name for it, they decided to have a competition to find a name, the winner getting fifty pounds. After getting many entries it is said that Fred's daughter Shelia, pulled a name from Fred's hat. The name Vegemite and an Australian icon was born.

    Meanwhile Dr Callister was still working on finding a cheese and came across a patent that was registered by James Kraft.  Fred Walker went to America to talk to Mr Kraft. So in 1926 Fred and James decided to start a joint venture - The Kraft Walker Cheese Company. The two men decided to consolidate all the aspects of the business (Cheese, Vegemite, Bonox, and canned foodstuffs). Fred Walker passed away in 1935, following complicaions from saving a drowning girl whilst in New Zealand.