Best of both worlds? Marmite cheese spread sales pick up amid shortage

With Marmite slowly finding its way back on South African shelves following a shortage due to high demands, South Africans are reaching for its cousin – a cheese spread infused with the familiar salty taste of the original.

This, after spent yeast – the main ingredient in Marmite – faced shortages due to alcohol bans.

MARMITE SLOWLY RETURNS TO SHELVES

In recent months, stock of Marmite has been hard to find at retailers.  According to Pioneer Foods, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 severely affected the supply chain. This is due to alcohol bans amid heavy lockdowns in South Africa.

The recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal also took a knock on the manufacturing process. This, after the supply of yeast from the SAB brewery in Prospecton was hampered. A third factor – food-grade soda ash, a neutralising agent used in the production of Marmite – was also in short supply as a result of factory closures in China.

But the good news is that the stock is expected to stablise over the next few weeks.

Sihle Mkhize of PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa, which owns Pioneer Foods, told Business Insider: “The Marmite production facility has been running stably and delivering on plan in the last month. The plan is that we will focus on Marmite 250g production until we have enough stock in the trade. Then we will commence production on the 125g variant. 

“The factory has introduced a double shift from April to assist with the demand. Stock is filtering into the trade. But with high demand, it will still take a number of weeks to replenish the pipeline.”

CHEESE PLEASE?

With the savoury spread currently still being scarce on shelves, SA consumers have been left to pick an alternative. And for many, this has been Marmite Cheese Spread.

With near-identical packaging to the original, the cheese version contains a touch of the classic taste, which Pioneer Foods claim “combines the best of both worlds”.

Mkhize added to the publication: “Toast with Marmite and a slice of cheese is a firm favourite with Marmite lovers. We decided a number of years back to combine the two for convenience. The best of both worlds: a creamy cheese spread – with a dash of Marmite flavour,…[It] is not intended as a Marmite alternative, but rather an addition to the Marmite range.”

Mkhize added that many South Africans were sampling the product out of curiosity. This, whilst they wait for their fave to be restocked.

He added: “Marmite Cheese Spread is not a uniquely South African idea, but something we’re very proud of. Currently, we carry enough Marmite Cheese Spread stock to meet the forecasted demand, including that from those who may be curious to try the product”.