PM Supports Aussie Cafe Owner in Vegemite Canada Clash
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a cafe owner in Toronto, Canada, who faces losing an $8,000 shipment of Vegemite. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ruled the iconic Australian spread non-compliant with its food regulations, due to added vitamin B.
Leighton Walters, who runs Found Coffee Inc., a chain of Australian-style cafes in Toronto, was told to stop selling and serving at his venues.
Walters received the order to destroy the Vegemite shipment while he was in hospital. [Credit: Nine]
“I Stand With the Aussie Cafe Owner”
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Albanese threw his support behind Walters.
“I stand with the Aussie cafe owner,” he said. “I can confirm here today that I am pro-Vegemite, and indeed, I actually put a lot of Vegemite on my toast when I eat bread. I love Vegemite, it’s a good thing.”
Albanese questioned Canada’s decision, given the country permits the sale of Marmite, a similar British spread.
“It’s rather odd that they’re letting Marmite in – which is rubbish, frankly,” he said. “Let’s be clear here, pro-Vegemite, anti-Marmite. That’s my position.”
Shipment at Risk Over Vitamin B Fortification
The CFIA said the imported Vegemite had added B vitamins, which aren’t approved under Canadian food rules. This placed Walters at risk of losing a shipment worth C$8,000 (A$9,000).
CBC reported that while it is not banned in Canada, no current versions meet food compliance standards. All products include added B vitamins, making them non-compliant under current Canadian regulations.
Still, jars of Vegemite are available online and in major Canadian stores, including Amazon.
This led Walters to accuse the government of double standards.
“Despite Amazon and major grocery stores continuing to profit of the sale of Vegemite and similar products like Marmite, for some reason, our genuinely Australian/Canadian coffee shops… is seemingly worth targeting,” he wrote in a social media post.
A Personal Fight
For Walters, the vegemite canada dispute is personal. Born with a birth defect, he credits B vitamins—found in Vegemite—with playing a role in preventing such conditions.
“As someone born with a birth defect, this is deeply personal,” he said. “Vegemite is high in B vitamins and folate, that helps minimise the likelihood of babies being born with conditions like mine.”
Walters was in hospital when he received the CFIA order to destroy the Vegemite shipment.
“It’s easy to feel lonely being so far from home,” he said. “But to hear that people are cheering me on – even the PM himself… is so moving.”
“Makes me even more proud to be Australian — if that’s even possible.”
Experts Weigh In on Health Risks
Nutrition expert Dr Fiona Willer from Queensland University of Technology said the vitamin B content in Vegemite poses no danger.
“B vitamins are water soluble, so it is difficult to consume too many,” she said.
A person would need to consume 14 teaspoons of Vegemite daily to reach the upper limit of vitamin B3, according to Dr Willer.
“The biggest red flag in Vegemite is a no-brainer – the sodium content,” she added.
Bega Group Sends Support
Bega Group, the company behind Vegemite, said it was aware of the issue but could not intervene.
They clarified they do not export Vegemite to Canada for retail sale.
“After looking into it, we can confirm we do not currently export to Canada for sale within Canada,” the company said in a statement.
“As such, we’re not directly involved in or across the specific import regulations that apply – including those set by the CFIA.”
The company expressed support for Walters and his customers.
“Vegemite is more than just a breakfast spread – it’s a taste of home and we know how much comfort that brings to Australians living overseas,” a spokesperson said.
Vegemite Canada Dispute Gains National Attention
The vegemite canada saga has drawn public attention in Australia, with many seeing it as a matter of cultural pride.
For Aussies abroad, isn’t just food—it’s a symbol of home.
And now, with the prime minister himself backing Walters, the Canada Vegemite crackdown has become more than just a trade technicality.
It’s a fight over identity, consistency, and a beloved black spread.
