No more Marmite chicken? Iconic umami spread vanishes from Singapore supermarket shelves
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In Singapore, Marmite is not only enjoyed as a traditional British-style toast spread, but has also been uniquely integrated into local cuisine.
PHOTO: EPA
- Marmite has disappeared from major Singapore supermarkets with social media posts suggesting that Unilever Asia has discontinued the product.
- Marmite is popular in Singapore both as a toast spread and in local dishes like Marmite chicken, causing disappointment among fans.
- The spread is still available online at higher prices, though stock is rapidly dwindling.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Marmite: You either love it or you hate it. And for those who love it, disappointment is on the menu.
Shoppers across Singapore are being met with empty shelves as Marmite, the iconic yeast extract spread known for its fierce umami flavour, quietly vanished from major supermarkets islandwide.
Checks conducted by The Straits Times on July 24 found that the savoury condiment was out of stock across the country’s major grocery chains, including FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Cold Storage and Giant.
Representatives from Sheng Siong and Giant confirmed to ST that the spread is unavailable, with Cold Storage stating that the product was discontinued by the supplier about three months ago.
Meanwhile, FairPrice said it is working on diversifying its sources “to bring in alternative overseas stocks”.
In response to ST’s queries, Unilever Asia – the regional distributor that carried Marmite in Singapore – confirmed that product has been “delisted” in Singapore and Malaysia.
It noted that the product “has a loyal following” and understand consumers’ disappointment.
“We’re constantly reviewing product availability across different markets and continue to work with our partners to ensure as many Marmite lovers as possible in Singapore can enjoy the iconic British condiment,” it added.
Posts had earlier circulated on social media that suggested that Unilever had discontinued the product here.
A post on Facebook on July 16 showed a screenshot of a notice which said Unilever Asia had delisted the spread from its portfolio starting from April 1. The notice cited “continued service challenges from the sourcing unit due to tight capacity caused by unexpected long-term major production line down”.
This affects Marmite’s 100g, 200g and 410g pack sizes, said the notice.
Another post on Meta’s Threads on July 22 contained a screenshot of what looked like a reply from Unilever Singapore to a customer, saying “we no longer carry the Marmite brand in Singapore”.
In the reply, the company said “products are deleted where insufficient consumer sales and limited retail distribution occur”. It added that as a product’s sales decline, “the competition to remain on limited supermarket shelf space becomes extreme”.
According to Reuters, between late 2025 and early 2026, Unilever considered selling historic British brands including Marmite and Bovril – a similar but thinner beef extract paste – to simplify the company’s portfolio.
At CS Fresh in Plaza Singapura on July 24, price tags for Marmite remained, but no products were in sight.
ST PHOTO: ANN NEO
Marmite was once a common sight in Singapore supermarkets. But staff at one FairPrice outlet said the product has been missing from its inventory for several months. Employees at a Sheng Siong store said they had not received shipments of Marmite and Bovril recently.
At CS Fresh in Plaza Singapura, price tags for Marmite remained, but no products were in sight. Even Mustafa Centre, known for its massive and varied inventory, no longer has any jars in stock.
In Singapore, Marmite is not only enjoyed as a traditional British-style toast spread, but has also been uniquely integrated into local cuisine. Many Chinese zi char stalls feature the brand in popular dishes such as Marmite chicken and Marmite pork ribs.
Marmite chicken (left) and Marmite pork ribs (right) are zi char dishes popular in Singapore.
ST PHOTOS: BENJAMIN NG, TAN HSUEH YUN
Some locals even stir a small amount of Marmite into plain rice porridge to add a rich umami flavour.
Some fans are disappointed about the absence of Marmite at supermarket shelves.
“There goes my childhood, stirring a spoonful of Marmite into hot water and just drinking it. I used to do that for my kid as well,” said a 54-year-old woman who wanted to be known only as Sin.
Britain-imported Marmite can still be found through online sellers, though supplies are rapidly dwindling and prices have surged.
As at July 24, most listings of Marmite on Shopee were out of stock, though some sellers were offering 8g packs for $4.50 a portion.
PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM SHOPEE
On Shopee, most listings were out of stock as at July 24, though some sellers were offering tiny 8g packs of Marmite for $4.50 a portion – a steep hike compared with FairPrice’s now sold-out 200g jar, which previously retailed at $7.08.
On RedMart, Lazada’s online grocery arm, the same 200g jar was being sold at $24.
A 200g jar of Marmite selling for $24 on RedMart as at July 24.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM LAZADA
However, there remains a glimmer of hope for fans.
According to the Threads post, Unilever Singapore said to the customer: “(We) heard your concern about your interest with Marmite and don’t worry, hopefully we might still consider bringing it back in the future.”