The ancient spice known as "red gold"
German scientist Justus von Liebig is the man responsible for giving the world Marmite, or at least developing a manufacturing process for the production of beef and yeast extract.
In fact, Liebig is considered the founder of organic chemistry. This illustration shows his laboratory at Giessen, Germany in 1840.
His company, Liebig's Extract of Meat Company, is the originator of Oxo meat extracts and Oxo beef stock cubes. Liebig also began producing tinned corned beef, which is still sold under the label Fray Bentos.
Liebig's discovery that brewer's yeast could be concentrated, bottled, and eaten eventually led to the founding in 1902 of the Marmite Food Extract Company in Burton upon Trent, a town in Staffordshire, England. The product was initially manufactured in pots called marmites (pictured).
Marmite is a sticky, dark brown food paste with a distinctive, powerful flavor that is extremely salty. It's often spread simply on toast or as a sandwich filler.
Marmite is a commonly used ingredient in dishes as a flavoring. Its rich umami (savory) taste works well in a variety of dishes including homestyle deep-fried chicken (pictured), made with a Marmite sauce.
Marmite's unique flavor is an acquired taste, a fact represented by the product's marketing slogan: "Love it or hate it."
During the 1930s, Marmite was used to successfully treat a form of anemia in mill workers in Bombay, India, after the paste's folic acid content was identified as the active ingredient.
After the 1934 floods and subsequent malaria epidemic of 1934-35 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), widespread malnutrition across the country was countered to a degree with the issue of pills made of Marmite yeast extract.
Marmite produced a limited edition Guinness Marmite in 2007, giving it a noticeable hint of "Guinness" flavor.
In 2006, artist Dermot Flynn created a series of Marmite portraits on toast as part of the Marmart exhibition at the Air Gallery in London. Pictured is a piece of toast with a portrait of Victoria Beckham.
Here's music mogul Simon Cowell on another slice.
And as kids love Paddington Bear, then, of course, the cuddly toy is the one to promote the Marmite afternoon tea session at London's Dorchester Hotel.
The spread was a standard vitamin supplement for British-based German prisoners of war during WWII.
Marmite is available around the world at specialist food retail outlets, especially those catering to British expatriates. In Australia and New Zealand, it's branded as Our Mate (pictured).
Some people love Marmite so much the savory spread is taken to the grave. This funeral, for example, was noted for its Marmite-styled flowers.
See also: More than 50 of the best-tasting sauces in the world.
In April 2012, a special edition jar in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was released. With the product renamed "Ma'amite," the redesigned label featured a color scheme based upon the Union Jack.
For everyone who loves Marmite, a special edition Champagne Marmite was released in time for Valentine's Day in 2008. The product had 0.3% champagne added to the recipe.
Many children develop a taste for Marmite at a young age, which some years ago spawned the catchphrase "The growing up spread you never grow out of," created to extol the spread's healthy nature.
Marmite was originally supplied to the public in ceramic pots. However, since the 1920s, the paste has been sold in glass jars.
You can squeeze the life out of Marmite by using the easy-to-use squeeze version of the product.
That same Valentine's Day, sculptor Jeremy Fattorini made a recreation of Rodin's famous sculpture 'The Kiss' using 420 jars of the special edition Marmite. It's pictured here in London's Greenwich Park.
Marmite is a rich source of the vitamin B complex.
Marmite has become an iconic brand, a fact not lost on artists. Welsh Artist Nathan Wyburn created a series of portraits using food from his home during the COVID-19 pandemic, including one of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson using slices of toast "painted" with Marmite. However, he wasn't the first.
Certain retailers who were particularly excited about the 2018 royal wedding even printed their own Marmite labels with the names Harry and Meghan on them.
The image on the front of the Marmite jar shows a marmite, a French term for a large, covered traditional earthenware or metal cooking pot.
Marmite! You either love it or you hate it. But there's no denying that this savory paste made from yeast extract is one of the most popular spreads in the world. Tasty on toast, in a sandwich, as a drink, or used as a flavoring in cooking, Marmite has its fans—and its foes! But how much do you know about the product dubbed "the growing up spread you never grow out of"?
Click through the following gallery and see if it's to your taste.
British troops during WWI were issued Marmite as part of their rations, its vitamin B1 content a useful ally in the fight against beri-beri.
Marmite! Why we love it, and hate it
"The growing up spread you never grow out of"
FOOD Curiosity
Marmite! You either love it or you hate it. But there's no denying that this savory paste made from yeast extract is one of the most popular spreads in the world. Tasty on toast, in a sandwich, as a drink, or used as a flavoring in cooking, Marmite has its fans—and its foes! But how much do you know about the product dubbed "the growing up spread you never grow out of"?
Click through the following gallery and see if it's to your taste.