An Ontario café chain has scored a win in its fight with Canadian food regulators to keep selling Vegemite at its stores.
Earlier this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) told Leighton Walters, an Australian-Canadian dual citizen who owns the Found Coffee chain located in Toronto and Guelph, that the batch of Vegemite he’d imported to sell at his stores was non-compliant with Health Canada regulations.
That put roughly $8,000 worth of Vegemite, which Walters has already paid for, in jeopardy.
But in an email to CBC News sent late Friday, the federal agency says a health risk assessment from Health Canada has since determined that the level of risk to human health from the added vitamins in Vegemite is low when consumed in suggested serving sizes.
“As such, the CFIA will work with the importer to allow the product to be sold in the short-term, including revised labeling, while we collaborate with Health Canada, the manufacturer, and the importer, to find a longer-term plan for Vegemite sales across Canada.”
Walters said the news is a huge win for small businesses.
“We’re so humbled and we’re so grateful to be able to get back to what we love doing, which is making great coffee and serving great Aussie treats,” he said.
Ordered to take Vegemite off shelves
Walters had been importing jars of the Australian staple for five years to offer at his Australian-inspired cafes.
“It’s an iconic Australian product … we’ve been so proud to serve it to thousands and tens of thousands of Australians, Canadians, travelers and tourists,” he told CBC Toronto last week.
An Australian-inspired café chain in Toronto is fighting Canada’s food regulation rules after the owner was forced to remove Vegemite from his shelves and menus. CBC’s Tyler Cheese has the story.
But he recently stopped selling the product after Canadian regulators flagged his latest shipment of Vegemite from Australia because the spread is enriched with Vitamin B, which is only permitted in certain products in Canada.
Walters also told CBC Toronto that CFIA has also ordered him to destroy the Vegemite he removed from his shelves, but an agency spokesperson denied that in an email, saying Walter was only ordered to remove it from his shelves.
After going public with his story last week, and contacting the Australian Trade and Investment Commission for help, he gained the support of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In a post to X Friday, Albanese said his government had discussed the issue with Canadian officials and thanked them for allowing Walters to have Vegemite back on the menu.
“This is a win for Australian industry, but it’s also a win for those people in Canada who get to enjoy this wonderful product that is so much a part of Australian culture and indeed, Australian pride as well,” he said.
Vegemite is back on the menu in Canada. Thanks to Prime Minister <a href=”https://twitter.com/MarkJCarney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@markjcarney</a> for working with Australia to make it happen. 🇦🇺🇨🇦 <a href=”https://t.co/Gw2ZHQjoV9″>pic.twitter.com/Gw2ZHQjoV9</a>
—@AlboMP
Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to Albanese’s comment in his own post to X.
“This is the value of strong free trade with reliable partners like Australia — and mutual respect for our cultural treasures,” Carney wrote.
Walters said he has been blown away by the response to his story. He said he’s received messages of support from around the world.
“I’m so incredibly grateful to everybody that helped achieve this result, whether you’re the prime minister or whether you’re one of our amazing locals that maybe came to our shop once, but actually cares about us,” he said.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
