SINGAPORE, July 30 — Marmite lovers in Singapore are facing a sticky situation after the famously divisive spread disappeared from supermarket shelves — with remaining jars now being offered online for as much as S$50 (RM160).
The century-old yeast extract has been discontinued in the country after persistent supply problems, leaving devoted fans searching e-commerce platforms and resale sites for one last black-and-yellow jar.
Unilever International confirmed the decision after consumers began noticing that Marmite had quietly vanished from local stores.
“We understand several consumers are disappointed with the current unavailability of Marmite across local supermarkets,” the company told Singapore-based media organisation CNA on Tuesday.
“Following ongoing supply challenges, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the Marmite brand in Singapore.”
For those firmly on the “love it” side of Marmite’s love-it-or-hate-it reputation, the announcement has turned an everyday breakfast staple into something closer to a collector’s item.
Checks by CNA yesterday found a dwindling number of listings on Lazada, Shopee and Carousell, some carrying eye-watering mark-ups.
A pack of two 250g bottles was listed on Lazada for almost S$48, compared with S$10.90 for a single 250g jar on RedMart before it sold out.
FairPrice’s website showed sold-out 100g and 200g bottles at S$4.84 and S$7.08 respectively.
Over on Carousell, one seller was asking S$20 for a 250g bottle, while another listed a jar of unspecified size for S$50.
The sudden scarcity appears to have caught supermarkets off guard.
Cold Storage said it had stopped carrying Marmite about four months ago and was working with suppliers to bring in alternative stocks, although it did not say what those alternatives might be.
The supermarket added that a timeline was still being finalised.
FairPrice, meanwhile, said it was diversifying its supply sources in an effort to bring in “alternative overseas stocks of Marmite” for customers.
Sheng Siong said both Marmite and Bovril, the beef-based extract, were currently unavailable in its stores.
The disappearance is likely to leave a noticeable gap in Singapore kitchens, where Marmite is eaten on toast, stirred into porridge and used as a salty, savoury boost in home cooking.
Its intensely yeasty flavour has long divided diners, but the sight of jars changing hands at premium prices suggests absence may be making at least some appetites grow fonder.
The development comes after Reuters reported in November 2025 that Unilever was considering selling historic British brands including Marmite and Bovril as part of a wider effort to focus on its beauty and wellbeing businesses.
For now, Singapore’s Marmite faithful face three choices: hunt down an imported jar, switch allegiance to another spread — or savour whatever remains at the back of the cupboard.