) Cenovis on bread, with jar in the background | |
| Type | Spread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Switzerland |
| Region or state | Rheinfelden |
| Created by | Alex Villinger |
| Invented | 1931 |
| Main ingredients | Yeast extract |
| |
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Cenovis is a dark brown food paste consisting of yeast extract, is similar to English Marmite, Brazilian Cenovit, and Australian Vegemite. It is rich in vitamin B1. It is used to flavour soups, sausages and salads. The most popular way to consume Cenovis, however, is to spread it on a slice of buttered bread, as stated on the product's packaging (or it can be blended into the butter and spread on bread or as a filling in croissants and buns).
Cenovis is popular in Switzerland (particularly Romandie). It was developed in Rheinfelden in 1931, on the initiative of a master brewer called Alex Villinger,[1] and was subsequently produced by the company Cenovis SA.
In 1999, the Swiss banker Michel Yagchi purchased the brand and along with Didier Fischer and Frank Guemara relaunched it applying modern marketing methods.[2]
On 29 February 2008, Michel Yagchi transferred the brand, acquired in 1999, to the Gustav Gerig AG, an Aargau company, and the product thereby returned to its canton of origin.[3]
The company presents the following story behind Cenovis:
"In 1931, a brewer recycled the yeast used for the fermentation of beer: vegetal substances very rich in vitamin B1. After several tests, the product was perfected and a group of Swiss brewers launched Cenovis; the product was an immediate success and the famous spread was so good that from 1955 it was included in the rations for Swiss soldiers... Healthy and strong soldiers!"[1]
See also
- Culinary Heritage of Switzerland
- List of brand name condiments
- List of spreads
- Marmite
- Promite
- Vegemite
- Vitam-R
References
- ^ a b "Lorsqu'on allie la saveur à la santé ..." [When one combines flavour with health...]. Cenovis.ch. 1999. Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2011-02-27. (French)
- ^ ""Marques suisses, Cenovis: Le réseau de la tartine"" [Swiss brands: the network of spreads for your bread]. Marco Danesi. 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-05-29. Retrieved 2005-12-23.
- ^ "Le Cenovis retourne en Argovi" [Cenovois returns to Aargau]. Le Temps. Economie & Finance. Geneva, Switzerland. 2008. Archived from the original on July 5, 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
External links
- Cenovis SA. The makers of Cenovis (in German)
- Marmite, Vegemite, and...Cenovis? A tale of salty yeast spreads