Canada bans Vegemite from Toronto Cafe …and how we got the Australian Prime Minister to help us fight it

Found Coffee owner, Australian/Canadian Leighton Walters kissing up to an Aussie icon in front of his Toronto Cafe

There’s a marketing golden rule I learned somewhere.  It was probably from one of the copywriter legends I follow like Gary Halpert or Dan Kennedy. 

This golden rule can be applied to any marketing copy or campaign no matter what you’re looking to sell. It’s a simple writing rule called Hook. Story. Offer.

Your ‘Hook’ must get the reader’s attention with as much drama as possible and a good measure of intrigue.

Your ‘Story’ fills in the blanks and builds on the drama to fully inform your reader as to exactly what’s going on.

And finally, your ‘Offer’ Gives a summary and where applicable, a CTA or Call To Action that tell the reader what to do next.

So it was this very formula or golden rule I followed when I sat down to write the following Media Release.

In the last week of March 2025, my friend Leighton Walters messaged me with a request.  He told me the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or CFIA had visited his Toronto cafe and deemed his $8000 worth of Vegemite did not meet Canadian food rules as it contained too much Vitamin B.

I initially thought he was joking but soon realised he wasn’t.

To make maters worse, Leighton, a lie-long Spina Bifida sufferer was about to go under the knife for major essential surgery to help with his debilitating illness and condition.

He told me this was happening at the worse possible time as he would not be available to fight the CFIA on their unbelievable finding and order.

He was told to destroy his stock of Vegemite or face a $250,000 fine. Hi world was caving in …but I saw a golden opportunity.

The full story is shared in the Media Release below and so far the response has been phenomenal.

At the time of writing this post the CFIA is yet to reverse their finding but thanks so fast-breaking news cycles in Canada and Australia, things are escalating quickly. 

This week, less than 2 weeks since our Media Release was dispatched to every news outlet I could find, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is publicly stating the he “stands with the Australian coffee shop owner” and we understand high-level discussions are currently underway to bring about the best possible outcome whatever that may be.

Our mission is to have Leighton and his coffee shop keep their Vegemite and continue to serve it to Aussies and confused Canadians who call by for breaky and a latte.

Obviously, the threat by a foreign nation to ban our beloved and iconic ‘breakfast tar’ has incensed so many Australians and therein lies the opportunity to gain some mileage with a good story and help out a friend.

We all love a good story. Hollywood is built on good stories and I like to use one as marketing weapon whenever I can. 

Success!

On Easter Saturday morning, just two weeks before the federal election, Prime Minister Albanese scored a winning goal with a perfectly timed 'Happy Easter' message on national TV—securing a win for Vegemite, Leighton and his café, and of course, for Australia.

You might be wondering why this story is showing up in a newsletter about real estate and technology. Well, first—because I love a good story. And second—because I want to encourage my real estate friends to share more stories and personal experiences. Not everyone is buying or selling right now, but a good story is always a powerful way to create a lasting human connection.

MEDIA RELEASE.  Friday April 4 2025

Canadian Food Authority Bans Aussie Breakfast Staple at Beloved Toronto CaféVegemite Crackdown Leaves Australian Expat and Coffee Entrepreneur Stunned

When Australian coffee entrepreneur Leighton Walters opened Found — his Aussie-inspired café nestled in Toronto’s trendy Trinity Bellwoods — he set out to deliver more than just world-class coffee. He wanted to serve a slice of home.

Australia’s love affair with coffee traces back to the post-war migration boom of the 1940s and ’50s, when European — particularly Italian — immigrants brought with them the rich traditions of espresso culture and, of course, the magical bean. Today, the Land Down Under is celebrated globally for its sophisticated coffee scene, known for quality, precision, and passion.

With Found, Walters faithfully recreated this culture — pairing expertly brewed coffee with beloved Australian staples like smashed avo on toast, and naturally, Vegemite: the quintessential breakfast spread adored by generations of Aussies.

“We all grew up with Vegemite,” says Walters. “It’s a taste of home for so many Australians living here in Toronto.”

But that taste of home was abruptly taken off the menu when a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) representative recently showed up unannounced and declared that Vegemite, surprisingly, contains too much Vitamin B. Walters was ordered to remove it from both his shelves and menu, effectively banning the beloved spread from Found.

First developed in the 1920s by Australian food scientist Cyril Callister as a local answer to British Marmite after wartime supply disruptions, Vegemite has been a household staple across Australia for over a century — without a single health scare.

“We were blindsided,” says Walters. “Vegemite has never been flagged for health concerns back home. And the irony is, Marmite — the very product it was created to replace — has been sold here in Canada for years.”

What makes the ban even more personal is Walters' own lifelong journey. Born with Spina Bifida — a rare and debilitating spinal condition — he has spent a lifetime managing the challenges of the disease, recently undergoing his 15th surgery.

“At a time where little research and not much is known about this incredibly rare and preventable birth defect, one thing that is known for sure is that folate significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects like Spina Bifida,” says Walters.

He’s quick to point out that Vegemite is rich in folate, and although it isn’t a cure, it holds deeper meaning for him — not just for its nutritional value, but for what it represents.

“This isn’t just about nostalgia or a food product I’m trying to sell. It’s personal,” Walters says. “Folate helps protect unborn babies — and serving a jar of Vegemite in my café is something I can do that might help reduce the chances of another child having to go through what I’ve been through. That hits to my core.”

Determined to challenge the ruling, Walters has reached out to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Toronto, hoping for a swift resolution that will allow him to continue offering what many Aussies consider a non-negotiable part of breakfast.

“We know our coffee is top-notch,” Walters adds. “But Vegemite on toast? That’s the heart and soul of a real Aussie breakfast. And for me — it’s much more than that.”