Love It or Hate It, Australia’s Iconic Vegemite Marks 100 Years

What was initially a hated product became a cultural icon.

A jar of Vegemite during a picnic breakfast on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2009. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

At first glance, a jar of black paste made of brewer’s yeast by-product mixed with salt, celery, and onion might not be a top contender for a cultural touchstone.

But 100 years after it was first developed by Cyril Callister in Port Melbourne as an imitation of British spread Marmite, Vegemite is a staple in every supermarket across the nation.