Marmite vs Vegemite

Both brown pastes are made from yeast extract and are popular in Australia, throughout the British diaspora, and beyond. Both use caramel to achieve the dark color. Fans of each (there are apparently no fans of both) love the concentrated umami flavor, especially on toast. Both are good sources of Vitamin B. So what’s the difference?

Marmite has yeast extract, salt, vegetable extract, spice extracts, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, celery extract and Vitamin B12. To make things more confusing, there is a British version (the original, introduced in 1902 to the world by Justus von Liebig) and a New Zealand version that is popular in Australia and the Pacific. The British version is now produced by Unilever, while The Sanitarium Health Food Company makes a similar product in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. In the UK, vegetable bits are added in the preparation of Marmite and the taste is a bit different. Fans say Marmite has a meatier flavor than Vegemite.

Vegemite is a saltier yeast-extract spread that is huge in Australia. Vegemite is made by the international food giant Kraft. The ingredients used to make Vegemite are yeast extract, salt, caramel, malt extract and natural flavor. Vegemite is also rich in vitamin B.

In Singapore and Malaysia, Marmite is enjoyed stirred into congee (rice porridge) — and in an intensely savory Malaysian dish called Marmite chicken, consisting of fried pieces of chicken tossed in a Marmite sauce.

Vegemite is more available in China than Marmite, though both can easily be found on Taobao.