In 1902, the Marmite Food Extract Company was formed, opening a small factory in Burton on Trent, where is still resides today. The product took it's name from the French term for a large, covered, earthenware or metal cooking pot. The label still has the image of a Marmite. It was originally supplied in earthenware pots, but since the 1920's it's supplied in glass jars.
Since the discovery of vitimins in 1912, yeast was found to be a great source of "B" vitimins. It was included in soldiers ration packs during WWI and became a dietary supplement in prisoner of war camps.
Many Brits have been weaned on Marmite, but a food inspection agency in Saskatchewan has decided that it is not suitable for Canadian palates. In Canada on January 24, 2014 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency moved to stop the sale of Marmite, as well as Vegemite, Bovril, Lucozade, Penguin Bars, Ovaltine and Irn Bru, because they are enriched with vitimins and minerals which are not listed in Canadian Food Regulations. The agency has said that these products were not a health hazard, but they are not the versions that are formulated for sale in Canada, which meet all the Canadian Food Regulations. The Canadian versions that are compliant formulations of these products will still be permitted to be sold in stores across Canada.
This led to many irate customers in Canada on Burns Night this year, as they couldn't stock up on Irn Bru to drink to the morning after. I haven't heard of anyone in Britain dying from consuming Irn Bru, have you?
