The manufacturers of Marmite in South Africa are hopeful that the product will start filtering back onto shelves in the next two to three weeks after a national shortage of the spread, which began at the on-set of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is according to Deborah-Ann Sharwood, communications lead at PepsiCo, the owner of Pioneer Foods, which manufactures Marmite in South Africa.
The first shortage
The first cause of the Marmite shortage was an inability to procure a supply of spent yeast, as “two key suppliers of yeast in South Africa, the AB-Inbev and Heineken Breweries, were not permitted to operate [during certain lockdown periods in the pandemic]”, said Sharwood in written correspondence with MatieMedia.
There has been a national shortage of Marmite due to an inability to procure key ingredients required for the production of the spread, according to Deborah-Ann Sharwood, communications lead at PepsiCo, which owns Pioneer Foods, the manufacturer of Marmite in South Africa. PHOTO: William Brederode
Procuring a “consistent yeast supply at the right quality […] remains challenging”, according to Sharwood. However, the company is working with their global procurement team “to unlock new sources of supply and are optimistic [PepsiCo] will find a sustainable solution in the medium term, but until then we unfortunately remain constrained”, she stated.
A chemical conundrum
There is a shortage of another key ingredient in the production of Marmite – food grade soda ash, which is used as a neutralising agent in the production of Marmite, according to Sharwood. China was the market leader in the production of soda ash but, after pandemic-induced factory closures, Turkey is now the largest producer of soda ash, explained Sharwood.
The market is trying to recover from this shortage, but this will take some time due to import constraints brought on by the rise in prices for soda ash, she stated.
A return to Stellenbosch shelves
The return of Marmite to Stellenbosch shelves will be welcomed by customers, according to Vuyani Longo, merchandiser at Die Boord SuperSpar Stellenbosch.
“We have had [no Marmite] since last year and we got our first batch last week,” said Longo, who added that he thinks that the inconsistent supply of Marmite may persist given the issues that have been experienced over an extended period of time.
“It’s the saltiness [of Marmite] I love,” said Marlene Carter, a shopper at Die Boord SuperSpar Stellenbosch, about the appeal of Marmite over Bovril. PHOTO: William Brederode
A victory for vegans
Having mainstream vegan items in supermarkets such as Marmite can help people to follow a vegan diet, according to Chantal Tomlinson, dietician at The Vegan Society, a registered charity and the oldest vegan organisation in the world.
Marmite can make a valuable contribution to someone’s daily intake of vitamin B12 according to Chantal Tomlinson, dietician at The Vegan Society, a registered charity and the oldest vegan organisation in the world. It’s essential for a vegan to make sure they are getting enough vitamin B12 from either a fortified food like Marmite or a supplement, added Tomlinson. PHOTO: William Brederode
“Certain nutrients such as vitamin B12 deserve special attention if you’re eating a totally plant-based diet,” said Tomlinson in written communication with MatieMedia. She added that “one teaspoon of a fortified yeast extract like Marmite can provide 1.3 mcg of vitamin B12, which can make a valuable contribution to someone’s daily intake of this vitamin, but it’s important to bear in mind that it is high in salt.”