Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a cafe owner in his dispute with Canada’s food authority after they demanded he destroy an $8000 shipment of Vegemite.
Leighton Walters, who runs an Australian-style cafe in Toronto, Canada, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had ordered him to stop selling the iconic Aussie food because it has added Vitamin B – in breach of regulations.
Now Anthony Albanese has weighed in on the dispute, today saying “I stand with the Aussie cafe owner.”
”I can confirm here today that I am pro-vegemite, and indeed, I actually put a lot of Vegemite on my toast when I ate bread,” Albanese said.
“I love vegemite, it’s a good thing.”
The PM then took a dig at Vegemite’s British cousin Marmite – which seemingly escaped Canada’s food laws.
“It’s rather odd that they’re letting Marmite in – which is rubbish, frankly.”
“Let’s be clear here, pro-Vegemite, anti-Marmite. That’s my position.”
The stoush first emerged in January when cafe owner Walters was told that Vegemite did not comply with Canadian food regulations.
In a social media post last Friday, Walters pointed out that some major Canadian retailers were still allowed to sell the spread.
“Despite Amazon and major grocery stores continuing to profit of the sale of Vegemite and similar products like Marmite, for some reason, our genuinely Australian/Canadian coffee shops offering a healthy slice of home away from home, is seemingly worth targeting,” he said.
“I don’t expect Canadians to care about Vegemite, I know it’s an acquired taste, but the principle and double standard doesn’t make sense to me, and it doesn’t seem right.
“As someone born with a Birth Defect, this is deeply personal.
“Vegemite is high in B Vitamins and Folate, that helps minimise the likelihood of babies being born with conditions like mine and living through the pain my family and I have throughout out my life so far.”
Despite that contradiction, the Canadian food authority told Canada’s CBC that the added vitamins in Vegemite made it ineligible for sale.
The CBC was told that Vegemite sold in Canada must be altered to meet regulations.
Bega Group, the company that produces Vegemite, has been contacted for comment.
