New Zealand's Year Of Marmageddon Is Over

A year after "Marmageddon" hit New Zealand the iconic savoury spread is back on the shelves with a new slogan, "go ahead - dig in".

Marmite ran out last year after the makers, Sanitarium, closed its factory following the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch which left 185 people dead and many buildings destroyed.

The company decided it was too dangerous to keep it open and the country limped on for a few months until supplies ran out.

A month ago the makers said Marmite was returning, with hopes of getting back to pre-crisis sales of 640 tons a year.

Sanitarium said: "You've rationed, you've scraped, you've survived Marmaggedon - and now the wait is over!

"From March 20, Marmite is back on supermarket shelves across NZ. Thanks for not freaking out and for waiting patiently for the black gold's return.

"It's back and now it's time to celebrate! Grab a jar, dig in and spread it around. Enjoy!"

Fans were quick to respond to its return on the Marmite NZ Facebook page.

Julia Benson said: "It's been a long and loyal wait. That first smell was bliss! TOAST PARTY!"

Kimberly McFetridge said: "Finally, after over a year with no marmite in my pantry, I got mine at half eight this morning, went straight back home and scoffed down four bits of toast with marmite on pretty quickly, better than I remembered it."

Marmite was originally imported into New Zealand but by 1919 the country had come up with its own version, which tastes quite different from the English version.

As a result, importing English Marmite simply would not work, said Pierre van Heerden, Sanitarium's general manager.

Earlier in March Mr Van Heerden and former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford visited Christchurch to deliver some of the new jars.

"It's fitting that the first jars of Marmite go to Christchurch families directly impacted by the earthquakes," said Mr Van Heerden. "These jars are a symbol of Christchurch's rebuilding and resilience.

"The families impacted by the quakes really deserve to get the first jars off the production line."