Marmite - Spotlight on an Iconic British Brand.
According to recent press reports Unilever is threatening to drop Marmite from its portfolio. The following is my case for the defence.
Marmite has been dividing the nation since 1902. You either love it or you hate it. There is no in between.
High in vitamin B complex, Marmite is probably the only vitamin that most British students consume at university. A Marmite on toast binge is practically mandatory after a night out on the beers. Alternatively if you are feeling fancy then the Nigella Lawson Marmite spaghetti recipe can really hit the spot. A steaming bowl of spaghetti with a knob of butter and a spoonful of Marmite - simples!
Whilst we are on the subject of students, in March 2019 Marmite launched their latest product and students around the country rejoiced at the prospect of Peanut Butter Marmite. Nut allergies aside, peanut butter sustains the student population of the UK so combining the two is an act of genius.
Of course Marmite isn’t just for students. The majority of us would have been introduced to it as children, most likely in the form of boiled eggs accompanied by Marmite soldiers. If you belonged to the ‘love it ‘camp then so began a life long appreciation for Britain’s favourite yeast extract.
As with all hero products, there are many myths surrounding the power of Marmite and one of these is that eating it can act as a mosquito repellent. Apparently mosquitoes belong to the ‘hate it’ faction of society but sadly scientists have now disproved this theory.
That said, although Marmite soldiers won’t prevent you from being savaged by mosquitoes, we Brits still like to take a jar of Marmite on holiday and according to data from London City Airport, Marmite is the most confiscated branded food item at airport security.
I couldn’t write a blog post on Marmite without mentioning its iconic packaging. The squat brown bottle with its yellow lid is so distinctive that it stands out perfectly on supermarket shelves. The jars come in various sizes from 500g to 70g which is known as the teeny tiny jar and that one can make it past airport security so it’s perfect for holidays!
A new squeezy plastic bottle has also been added to the range but the least said about that the better because sometimes innovation isn’t a good thing. In these environmentally conscious times, glass jars are the future. To this end, I turned my empty Marmite jar into a tea light holder - reuse at its finest and the perfect table decoration!
Marmite has graced the breakfast tables of Great Britain for over 100 years. In that time so much has changed and although now the toast might be made with sourdough bread and smashed avocado is the zeitgeist, Marmite remains the constant. Freshly brewed tea with Marmite on hot buttery toast, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Please excuse me, I’m off to pop the kettle on.
Words and photos by Tanya Taylor © 2019