Vegemite can stay on Ontario cafe chain's shelves for now, Canadian food regulators say

Sarah Petz · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 19, 2025 11:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

An Ontario café concatenation has scored a triumph successful its combat with Canadian nutrient regulators to support selling Vegemite astatine its stores. 

Earlier this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) told Leighton Walters, an Australian-Canadian dual national who owns the Found Coffee concatenation located successful Toronto and Guelph, that the batch of Vegemite he'd imported to merchantability astatine his stores was non-compliant with Health Canada regulations. 

That enactment astir $8,000 worthy of Vegemite, which Walters has already paid for, successful jeopardy.

But successful an email to CBC News sent precocious Friday, the national bureau says a wellness hazard appraisal from Health Canada has since determined that the level of hazard to quality wellness from the added vitamins successful Vegemite is debased erstwhile consumed successful suggested serving sizes. 

"As such, the CFIA volition enactment with the importer to let the merchandise to beryllium sold successful the short-term, including revised labeling, portion we collaborate with Health Canada, the manufacturer, and the importer, to find a longer-term program for Vegemite income crossed Canada."

CBC News has reached retired to Walters for comment. 

Ordered to instrumentality Vegemite disconnected shelves 

Walters had been importing jars of the Australian staple for 5 years to connection astatine his Australian-inspired cafes. 

"It's an iconic Australian merchandise ... we've been truthful arrogant to service it to thousands and tens of thousands of Australians, Canadians, travelers and tourists," helium told CBC Toronto past week. 

WATCH | Toronto café proprietor fights to support Vegemite connected his shelves: 

But helium precocious stopped selling the merchandise aft Canadian regulators flagged his latest shipment of Vegemite from Australia because the dispersed is enriched with Vitamin B, which is lone permitted successful definite products successful Canada.

Walters besides told CBC Toronto that CFIA has besides ordered him to destruct the Vegemite helium removed from his shelves, but an bureau spokesperson denied that successful an email, saying Walter was lone ordered to region it from his shelves. 

After going nationalist with his communicative past week, and contacting the Australian Trade and Investment Commission for help, helium gained the enactment of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

In a station to X Friday, Albanese said his authorities had discussed the issue with Canadian officials and thanked them for allowing Walters to person Vegemite backmost connected the menu. 

"This is simply a triumph for Australian industry, but it's besides a triumph for those radical successful Canada who get to bask this fantastic merchandise that is truthful overmuch a portion of Australian civilization and indeed, Australian pridefulness arsenic well," helium said. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to Albanese's remark successful his ain station to X. 

"This is the worth of beardown escaped commercialized with reliable partners similar Australia — and communal respect for our taste treasures," Carney wrote.