Arnott’s, Uncle Tobys, Bushells, Golden Circle — you could be forgiven for thinking these brand were Australian owned.
This morning, it was announced dairy brand Bega would purchase Vegemite from US company Mondelez International and put it back in local hands.
It was a reminder that many Australian pantry staples are foreign-owned despite their Aussie roots.
Arnott’s
Key products: TimTam, Shapes, Jatz
From its humble beginnings in a Newcastle bakery the biscuit and cracker maker became one of the largest food companies in the Asia-Pacific region.
But while the product is still manufactured in Australia, it is owned by US food giant Campbell Soup Company.
Despite this, its Australian ties are not something Arnott’s is looking to shake, the company even referring to themselves as an “Australian icon” on its website.
Bushells
Key products: Tea and coffee
The brand many Australians associate with tea o’clock and driver-reviver stops is actually owned by British-Dutch company Unilever.
But for more than a century it was Australian owned.
It was founded by Alfred Bushell in 1883 when he opened a tea shop in Queensland after the death of his wife Agnes, whose family was in the tea business.
Uncle Tobys
Key products: Roll Ups, Cheerios, Le Snak, Oats
The company was sold off in 2006 to Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), a joint venture between Nestle and General Mills.
CPW headquarters is in Switzerland.
However, Uncle Tobys Oats are sourced from Australian Farmers and manufactured on home soil too.
Golden Circle
Key products: Cordial, juice, and tinned fruit and vegetables
Golden Circle is owned by US giant Heinz.
It began producing canned pineapple in the 1940s. The original factory in Northgate, Brisbane still produces tonnes of the product.
It was acquired by Heinz Australia in 2008 and is now foreign-owned.
Rosella
Key products: Tomato sauce, soup, chutney
Like Vegemite, for a time Rosella was foreign-owned.
Despite being founded in Australia in the late 1800s, Rosella was owned by multinational company Unilever for 40 years, until it was sold to local brand Sabrands in 2013.
Rosella indicated that period of foreign-ownership represented a “decline” for the brand.
“Rosella went into decline from the 1980s onwards because its owners at the time did not follow the original vision of the founders,” its website stated.
