NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

'Marmageddon' sends NZ into a spin

APNZ
20 Mar, 2012 05:19 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

No Marmite on the shelves at an Auckland supermarket. Photo / APNZ

No Marmite on the shelves at an Auckland supermarket. Photo / APNZ

It was one simple warning - ration Marmite and yet it has sent the country into a spin as 'Marmageddon' takes hold.

Supermarket shelves are being stripped bare, while opportunists turn to TradeMe in the hope of making a quick buck in selling their precious stash.

Marmite maker Sanitarium yesterday warned no more Marmite was being made as production of the popular spread was halted due to earthquake damage discovered at Sanitarium's Christchurch plant - the only plant where Marmite is made.

The news gets worse for Marmite lovers, with the possibility that the Kiwi favourite would not be back on shelves until mid-July, Sanitarium general manager Pierre van Heerden said.

"I've challenged [the engineers] to try and crash those timelines to do everything they can to get it out sooner. We're hoping that something can be done.''

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Social network websites went into a frenzy yesterday when the news broke that consumers needed to ration their Marmite usage, and now almost 100 jars are up for sale on TradeMe.

So far, the highest bid to reach reserve is a 1.2kg jar which is currently selling for $60.

An ambitious seller was asking for $3500 for their supply, but no one had bid on that auction.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Even semi-used jars were for sale on the auction site, with one Te Kuiti seller asking $100 for a third-full jar.

TradeMe spokesman Paul Ford said Marmite had been the most searched term on the website in the past 24 hours.

"About 60 people have looked to cash in their Marmite supplies in the wake of the news about the looming Marmite drought,'' he said.

Marmite was listed on TradeMe from time to time, but there would usually be less than 10 listings of run-of-the-mill Marmite at any given time.

Discover more

World

Marmite motorway madness causes jam

29 Nov 08:41 AM
New Zealand

Marmite shortage spurs 'Marmageddon' fears

19 Mar 06:26 AM
New Zealand|politics

'Marmageddon': There's always Vegemite, says PM

19 Mar 07:27 PM
Opinion

Marmite or vegemite?

19 Mar 10:04 PM

"Massive interest in the modern-day version of the product is not something we've seen before.''

Mr van Heerden said certain stores had less stock than others, and he was anticipating some stores to have run out by now.

But any rumours the Marmite shortage was a marketing stunt to make further sales was "absolutely not'' true, he said.

Twitter users were yesterday suggesting it was a publicity stunt by Sanitarium after pre-prepared "Marmite is out of stock'' signs were spotted in anticipation of the shortage, but Mr van Heerden said this was not the case.

"We don't engage in that type of marketing and we're a company with high ethics, and we wouldn't go out there with something like this as part of a marketing campaign, so there's absolutely no truth to it whatsoever.''

A spokeswoman for Foodstuffs, which runs Pak'n Save and New World supermarkets, said there was a rush in Marmite buying yesterday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Around the country Foodstuffs' supermarkets had limited supplies of Marmite, but she could not provide specific details on numbers.

Progressive Enterprises, which owns Countdown supermarkets, said it anticipated running out of Marmite in all of its stores in the next two to three weeks.

But it would not enforce a purchase limit, merchandise general manager Murray Johnston said.

Countdown's online shop still had 250g jars of the spread available, at $4.25 a jar.

But a website which exports New Zealand items to the rest of the world has sold out of the distinct spread.

A 250g jar of it was for sale on website productsfromnz.com for US$7.95 (NZ$9.63), but the website reports it is currently out of stock.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, if you are willing to fork out a bit extra, website shopnewzealand.co.nz has a 500g jar going for US$14.80 (NZ$17.90).

Twitter has been abuzz with the news, with Marmite and Vegemite both sitting near the top of the trend list all day.

The news has also made it to the other side of the world, with CNN, the Guardian, Daily Mail and the Independent all reporting New Zealand's shortage.

But for those willing to jump ship, Vegemite supply is aplenty, or there's always the British alternative.

For those feeling very brave, why not give homemade Marmite a go. (Sourced from marmitelover.blogspot.co.nz)

Ingredients _

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A litre of Brewer's yeast (top fermentation from a brewery)

A little sea salt

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 turnip, diced

1/2 celery stick, diced

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Method -

1) Put a litre of brewer's yeast with a little salt, in a bain-marie. Simmer at 30 to 40 degrees Celsius for ten hours.

2) Simmer this mixture at 50 to 60 degrees Celsius for two to three hours.

3) Boil at low temperature 90 degrees Celsius for half an hour.

4) Filter though coffee papers or a sieve and cheesecloth.

5) Let it cool for a day or so.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

6) Filter again.

7) Put it in a large flat pan and simmer to create a paste.

8) Meanwhile boil up all the vegetables until they are cooked. Strain off the liquid and incorporate into the Marmite paste.

9) Let the mixture reduce into a Marmite like texture.

The entire process takes about ten days.

Is your local supermarket running out of Marmite supplies?'Help us map New Zealand's Marmite shortage:
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Person critically injured in Levin crash, state highway closed

11 May 08:31 PM
New Zealand

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

11 May 08:11 PM
Premium
Opinion

Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

11 May 08:00 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Person critically injured in Levin crash, state highway closed

Person critically injured in Levin crash, state highway closed

11 May 08:31 PM

Two people were injured, one critically.

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

'The silent killer': Heart Foundation's urgent blood pressure push

11 May 08:11 PM
Premium
Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

Roger Brooking: What prison statistics get wrong on violent crime rates

11 May 08:00 PM
Crews battle suspicious Napier house fire

Crews battle suspicious Napier house fire

11 May 07:53 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP