Bartymite to hit shelves in honour of tennis ace
Re t ra Hu 1 AUSSIE tennis ace Ash Barty (pictured) is set to become the first athlete to have her name and image take over iconic Aussie spread Vegemite.
In a sign of how much Barty is blazing a trail as one of Australia’s biggest stars, Vegemite will this month be renamed Bartymite.
The limited edition jars stamped with her name, photo and signature will hit supermarket shelves in coming weeks, honouring the French Open winner and women’s world number one. Barty said it was a unique honour to add to her bulging collection of achievements.
“I’m not too sure who’s more excited — me or my family,’’ she said. “I think Mum has pre-ordered a lifetime supply.’’
Barty, awarded the Don Award at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as the nation’s finest performer on the international sporting stage, described herself as a ‘Vegemite kid’.
Sponsored by the 96-year-old food brand, which produces 22 million jars of spread from its Port Melbourne factory each year, she will wear a Vegemite logo as she tries to conquer the Australian Open in January.
And she admitted she packs Vegemite in her travel bag as she takes on the world’s best tennis stars at Grand Slams around the world.
“Vegemite is a reminder of home while I’m travelling, and I always take a tube with me around the world,’’ she said. “The chance to work with one of Australia’s most iconic brands for the third year is a dream come true.”
Vegemite spokesman Matt Gray said the jar would be changed to celebrate Barty but the recipe would remain the same.