Who Owns Vegemite?
Vegemite is owned by Bega Cheese Limited, an Australian publicly listed dairy and food company, which acquired the brand from Mondelez International in 2017 for approximately $460 million. Vegemite was previously owned by American companies Kraft Foods and later Mondelez for approximately 27 years, making the 2017 sale a widely celebrated return to Australian ownership.
Parent Company
Bega Cheese Limited
Acquired
2017
Status
Private
Headquarters
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Who Owns Vegemite?
- Parent Company: Bega Cheese Limited
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2017
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: Australian Securities Exchange: BGA
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Vegemite | Bega Cheese Limited | Wholly owned |
History of Vegemite
- Founded: 1922
- Founders: Cyril P. Callister, Fred Walker
- Acquired by Bega Cheese Limited: 2017
Vegemite was developed in 1922 by Cyril P. Callister, a chemist working for the Fred Walker Company in Melbourne. It was created as an Australian alternative to Marmite, the British yeast extract spread, after British Marmite imports were disrupted following World War One. The spread is made from leftover brewer's yeast combined with vegetable and spice additives.
Fred Walker sold the rights to Vegemite to the Kraft Walker Cheese Company in 1935, which later became Kraft Foods Australia. American company Kraft Foods held the brand for approximately 77 years. When Kraft's global snacking and confectionery business was separated as Mondelez International in 2012, Vegemite passed to Mondelez.
The 2017 sale to Bega Cheese for approximately $460 million was publicly celebrated in Australia as the return of a national icon to domestic ownership. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the time described it as a positive outcome for Australian food heritage.
About Bega Cheese Limited
Australian publicly listed dairy and food company founded in 1899, known for cheese products and the Vegemite brand, headquartered in Bega, New South Wales.
- Founded: 1899
- Headquarters: Bega, New South Wales, Australia
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: Australian Securities Exchange: BGA
- Revenue: approximately AUD 1.5 billion (FY2024)
- Employees: approximately 2,000
Where Is Vegemite Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Manufacturing / Operations: Australia
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegemite
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Vegemite on AmazonCompetitors to Vegemite
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because Vegemiteoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
Bega Cheese Limited Stock Information
Jobs at Bega Cheese Limited
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