UK Marmite held up by NZ Customs

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UK Marmite held up by NZ Customs

3News NZ

It has been five long months since New Zealand ran out of Marmite. So imagine our surprise when we heard 2000 jars of it have been impounded by Customs in Christchurch.

The Marmite in question is not the Kiwi variety. It is a UK version that's also called Marmite, but its importer is stuck in a copyright battle with New Zealand Marmite manufacturer Sanitarium.

Reporter Kate King explains why there's Marmite in the country, but no one can get their hands on it

Watch the video to see her report.

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Comments

14/02/2013 6:43:58 p.m.

m spufford wrote:

my brother has been sending me UK (real) marmite by post in 500gr jars for over 10 years.
I just received my latest 1kg which should last me 6 months.

There are many stories about availability of English Markmite in Auckland but nowhere can I find a list of stores that stock it.

HELP. Where can I get it?

spuff

22/01/2013 8:33:41 p.m.

Mo Ingram wrote:

Uk Marmite has been made since 1902. It tastes totally different to NZ Marmite which tastes quite disgusting in comparison. The quantity sold in NZ would hardly make a dent in Sanitarium sales so I can't see what all the fuss is about. Perhaps the UK should ban NZ Marmite. Surely that would impact on NZ sales far more than vice versa. Note to self Email Unilever Uk....

22/01/2013 8:13:40 p.m.

Mo Ingram wrote:

Uk Marmite has been made since 1902. It tastes totally different to NZ Marmite which tastes quite disgusting in comparison. The quantity sold in NZ would hardly make a dent in Sanitarium sales so I can't see what all the fuss is about. Perhaps the UK should ban NZ Marmite. Surely that would impact on NZ sales far more than vice versa. Note to self Email Unilever Uk....

17/10/2012 11:13:14 p.m.

Janet wrote:

I was purchasing UK Marmite for several years until it became unavailable so changed to Our Mate which is as close to the UK version that I can find. Have tried a version from the South African Shop but it does not taste the same. I will not buy the NZ version as I do not like it. So good on the importer for standing his ground and I hope he wins so we can go back to being able to purchase UK Marmite Sanitarium should not have the right to say it is their product or nothing. Freedom to choose what we want

17/10/2012 6:53:04 p.m.

John wrote:

Obviously sanitarium is scared that there product will not stand up to competition. What ever happened to free trade only good in one direction?

5/09/2012 12:35:09 p.m.

chantal Savage wrote:

Ok so I bought a jar of Our Mate this morning from the local supermarket.It is supposed to be the same but here are the facts: the nutrition information on Our Mate lists 2g of Potassium where there is NONE in UK Marmite. Potassium "begins like salt but ends leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste". Our Mate has 4.3g of sodium-UK Marmite has 3.9g. Our Mate has 0.2g of fibre-UK Marmite has 3.1g This is why it is close to tasting like UK Marmite but it is NOT the same.

4/09/2012 8:25:29 p.m.

Clive wrote:

UK Marmaite is glutin free,NZ marmite contains wheat, we cannot eat the Sanitarium "marmite", we are still able to obtain UK Marmite thank goodness.

3/09/2012 4:08:11 p.m.

christine wrote:

when is Sanitarium going to hurry up and get our Marmite back on the shelves? I'm sure it was supposed to be at least last month.

3/09/2012 2:28:04 p.m.

T Ashman wrote:

I am intrigued to hear that Sanitarium are fighting NZ copyright laws over their "world famous in NZ" Marmite. Oh dear, considering NZ was introduced to Marmite when it was imported from the UK in 1910. So Uk Marmite was the first product here. After the first WW, Sanitarium gained the sole distribution rights in 1919. In the 1930's the company experimented, mixing UK marmite with other ingredients, all the while labelling it Marmite and packaging it in the UK marmite containers! Is this, Kiwi ingenuity due to shipping difficulties or a cheeky infringement of copyright? Perhaps also a crafty, risk free, investment prospect based on an already found market? Needless to say I am thinking pot calling the kettle black and this does rather remind me of the practice of 'cutting drugs'. What tops off the badly constructed Sanitarium argument is that on their own Marmite website they boast about 95 years of Marmite in NZ, which clearly includes the 35 years of the UK product. The history of NZ marmite that I have gathered also came from their own website! I think if this goes to court, Sanitarium may find they need to rename their product.

30/08/2012 7:26:34 p.m.

Anne wrote:

I think Sanatarium is afraid of the English - after all the English Marmite has been available worldwide and I grew up on it in South Africa. We made Vegemite under licence in South Africa but there was never anything to beat the English Marmite. NZ Marmite is too thick and stodgy. I love New Zealand but their Marmite is not as good as the imported product. Improve yours' Sanatarium and you will have no competition in other makes! Please don't be a 'dog-in-the-manger'