Cenovis facts for kids
Cenovis on bread, with jar in the background
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| Type | Spread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Switzerland |
| Region or state | Rheinfelden |
| Created by | Alex Villinger |
| Invented | 1931 |
| Main ingredients | Yeast extract |
Cenovis is a dark brown food spread from Switzerland. It's made from yeast extract, onions, carrots, and spices. You might think it's a bit like English Marmite or Australian Vegemite. Cenovis is packed with vitamin B1, which is super important for your body!
People often use Cenovis to add flavour to soups, sausages, and salads. But the most popular way to enjoy it is spread thinly on a slice of buttered bread. You can even mix it directly into butter or use it as a yummy filling for croissants and buns. Unlike some other yeast spreads, Swiss Cenovis has often been sold in tubes and is a bit lighter and more liquid.
Contents
Why is Yeast Extract Used in Food?
Since the early 1900s, many people have tried to turn brewer's yeast into food. This is because yeast is easy to get and has lots of good nutrients. Products like English Marmite (from 1902) and Australian Vegemite (from 1922) became very popular.
In 1912, a scientist named Casimir Funk found a special ingredient that helped fight diseases caused by not getting enough nutrients. He called this ingredient a "vitamin." Later, people realized that yeast was full of thiamine (which is vitamin B1). This high vitamin content became a great way to advertise yeast products, even more so than their protein content, which people already knew about.
Where Did Cenovis Begin?
The story of Cenovis started in Germany. In 1915, a company called Cenovis Nahrungsmittelwerke GmbH was set up in Munich. It was a factory that used brewer's yeast and malt to make food products. They also made other foods like oatmeal and baking powder. This company was a big competitor to other food brands like Maggi.
Around 1920, the German Cenovis vitamin extract was sold in jars. These jars even said "unbegrenzt haltbar," which means "unlimited shelf life"! Cenovis products were often linked to a healthy living movement in Germany. In 1921, people described Cenovis yeast extract as cleaned brewer's yeast with a consistency like honey. They said it tasted "similar, only finer than Liebig's meat extract."
Cenovis in Switzerland
Cenovis is very popular in Switzerland, especially in the French-speaking parts. It was first created in Rheinfelden, Switzerland, in 1931. A master brewer named Alex Villinger had the idea. By 1935, they were making Cenovis extract along with brewer's yeast.
Cenovis became so important that in 1955, it was even included in the Swiss soldiers' survival rations! In 1965, a Swiss company bought the rights to the Cenovis brand and its making processes from the German company in Munich.
The Comeback of Cenovis
Cenovis yeast extract was created during tough economic times and when people were thinking more about healthy eating. It was meant to be a cheap and long-lasting food that could even replace meat products like sausages, as it didn't need refrigeration.
While products like Vegemite did very well in places like the Australian outback, Cenovis sales in Switzerland started to slow down. In German-speaking Switzerland, mostly older people still knew about it. But in French-speaking Switzerland, Cenovis became well-known again after a Swiss banker named Michel Yagchi bought the brand in 1999. He, along with Didier Fischer and Frank Guemara, brought Cenovis back to life using new marketing ideas.
In 2008, the brand was transferred to Gustav Gerig AG, a company from Aargau. This meant Cenovis returned to its home canton. Since 2008, Cenovis has been made by Sonaris AG in Arisdorf BL. The companies Cenovis AG and Sonaris AG joined together in 2013 to form the Cenovis AG we know today.
The company shares a fun story about Cenovis:
"In 1931, a brewer found a way to reuse the yeast from making beer. This yeast was super rich in vitamin B1! After many tries, the product was perfected, and a group of Swiss brewers launched Cenovis. It was an instant hit! This famous spread was so good that from 1955, it was given to Swiss soldiers as part of their food... helping them become healthy and strong!"
See also
