'A huge win for common sense,' said Found Coffee Leighton Walters after Canada's food authority backed down on its non-compliance order It was a g’day for a Guelph cafe owner after Canada’s food authority changed its stance on Vegemite, allowing the salty spread back on local shelves. Last week, Leighton Walters, who owns Found Coffee on Gordon Street, made international news after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said he could no longer sell or serve Vegemite, an iconic Australian spread. Walters opened Found Coffee in Toronto in 2020 after moving from Australia, expanding to Guelph in 2022. Vegemite on toast was on the menu, as well as a popular cheesy pastry with a hint of the spread. Jars of it were also sold, which he imported himself to sell at a lower cost. It was pulled from their menu and shelves after the CFIA said it did not meet the requirements established by Health Canada due to added B vitamins, and sparked an international uproar, with the Australian government stepping in to advocate on his behalf. Over the weekend the CFIA issued a statement saying Vegemite can be sold at the cafe again short-term after Health Canada determined it to be low-risk in a health assessment. “This science-based assessment has determined that the level of risk to human health from the added vitamins present in the product is low when consumed in suggested serving sizes,” the statement says. “As such, the CFIA will work with the importer to allow the product to be sold in the short-term, including revised labelling, while we collaborate with Health Canada, the manufacturer, and the importer, to find a longer-term plan for Vegemite sales across Canada.” The news came as a relief to Walters, who called it a "huge win for common sense." “This has been one of the most beautiful, heart-enlarging experiences of my life, because as a small business owner that has invested their life savings in building their dream coffee shop on the other side of the world, it’s very easy to feel far from home," he told GuelphToday on Monday. But in the midst of the chaos, he said the support from people locally and around the world has made him feel at home and supported. During a press conference over the weekend, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for ensuring Walters could once again sell Vegemite. “This a win for Australian industry, but it’s also a win for those people in Canada who get to enjoy this wonderful product that is so much a part of Australian culture and indeed Australian pride as well.” In the first hour of it being back on shelves, they sold about 30 or 40. Vegemite on toast and cheesymite scrolls are also back on the menu. To celebrate, he said Chrystia Freeland plans to visit one of the Toronto locations later today “to smash some cheesymite scrolls together.” Growing up with a disability, Walters was bullied throughout school and “barely had any friends,” so the barrage of attention and support has been both hilarious and heartwarming. “I didn’t expect Canadians to really care about Vegemite,” he said. “I’m so incredibly humbled and so grateful that Canadians all over the country really rallied behind this new Canadian trying to make their dreams come true.” “People didn’t have to care, but because they did, it ended up at the highest level of political leadership. To me, that’s such a beautiful story that it doesn’t matter how small your business is, it can make a big difference on a global scale.”