Editing Cenovis

{{Short description|Swiss brand of spread similar to Marmite}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Cenovis
| image = Cenovis.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Cenovis on bread, with jar in the background
| alternate_name = 
| type = Spread
| course = 
| country = Switzerland
| region = Rheinfelden 
| national_cuisine = 
| creator = Alex Villinger
| year = 1931
| mintime = 
| maxtime = 
| served = 
| main_ingredient = Yeast extract
| minor_ingredient = 
| variations = 
| serving_size = 100 g
| calories = 
| calories_ref =
| protein = 
| fat = 
| carbohydrate = 
| glycemic_index = 
| similar_dish = 
| other = 
}}

'''Cenovis''' is a dark brown food paste from [[Switzerland]] consisting of [[yeast extract]], [[onion]]s, [[carrot]]s and [[spice]]s.  Sold internationally under the brand Sonaris, it is similar to English [[Marmite]], Brazilian Cenovit, and Australian [[Vegemite]]. Rich in [[thiamine|vitamin B<sub>1</sub>]], it may be 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. It can also be blended into butter and used as a spread or a filling for croissants and buns.

The company does not disclose whether the Swiss Cenovis was a licensed product from the older German one. In contrast to comparable yeast extracts, the Swiss Cenovis, similar to [[Thomy]] mustard, was sold in tubes early on and is somewhat lighter and more liquid.

== Protein versus vitamin ==
Since the beginning of the 20th century many attempts to turn brewer's yeast into food have been made. The main reason being its availability and nutritional physiology. The English Marmite (1902) and the Australian Vegemite (1922) became successful as products.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-27 |title=100 Jahre Vegemite - Australiens kultigster Brotaufstrich |url=https://www.foodaktuell.ch/2022/07/27/100-jahre-vegemite-australiens-kultigster-brotaufstrich/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=foodaktuell |language=de-DE}}</ref> 1912 [[Casimir Funk]] discovered an active ingredient against deficiency diseases which he called vitamin.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=1967-12-01 |title=Medicine: Death of the Vitamin Pioneer |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,712020,00.html |access-date=2023-08-01 |issn=0040-781X}}</ref> The high [[thiamine]] content (vitamin B<sub>1</sub>) then became the quality of nutritional yeast that was more effective in advertising than its protein content, which had been known for a long time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bierhefe – Die alte Volksarznei |url=http://blog.pahema.com/infothek/kramkiste/bierhefe-die-alte-volksarznei/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=blog.pahema.com}}</ref>

== Origins in Germany ==
In 1915, Cenovis Nahrungsmittelwerke GmbH was founded in [[Munich]] as a [[Brewing|brewer's]] yeast and [[malt]] factory,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Die "Cenovis-Werke", eine "Nahrungsmittelfirma", werden gegründet |url=https://hartbrunner.de/fakten/d_fakten.php?id=1858 |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=hartbrunner.de}}</ref> which also produced by-products of these products and other foods such as [[oatmeal]] and [[baking powder]], making it one of [[Maggi|Maggi's]] main competitors.<ref>Marita Krauss: ''Rechte Karrieren in München: Von der Weimarer Zeit bis in die Nachkriegsjahre,'' Munich: Volk 2010, p. 21, {{ISBN|9783937200538}}.</ref> The German Cenovis vitamin extract was available from around 1920 in jars labeled "unbegrenzt haltbar" (unlimited shelf life).<ref>Illustration see Max Lippmann: ''Cenovis Kochrezepte,'' Munich: Cenovis 1935</ref>

The image of the Cenovis products was associated with the life reform movement (from which the [[Reformhaus|Reformhäuser]] emerged). It was reported in 1921 that the Cenovis yeast extract consisted of cleaned and de-bittered brewer's yeast and had a honey-like consistency. It has a "similar, only finer taste than Liebig's meat extract". The founder and main shareholder of Cenovis, Julius Schülein,<ref name=":0" /> a son of the brewery owner Joseph Schülein, reports in his book from 1938 (the year when his Munich company was expropriated by [[Aryanization]] and he emigrated to the [[United States|USA]]) about an Cenovis vitamin yeast produced in Switzerland. In the same year, the Australian trademark Cenovis was established.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Learn About Cenovis & Our Supplement Range - Cenovis Australia |url=https://cenovis.com.au/about-us/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Cenovis |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Hermann Schülein |url=https://www.immigrantentrepreneurship.org/entries/hermann-schulein/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Immigrant Entrepreneurship |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Swiss manufacturing ==
Cenovis is popular in [[Switzerland]] (particularly [[Romandie]]). It was developed in [[Rheinfelden District|Rheinfelden]] in 1931, on the initiative of a master brewer named Alex Villinger.<ref name="cenovis" /> Since 1935, they have been producing Cenovis extract alongside brewer's yeast and other by-products. In 1955, Cenovis became part of the Swiss Army's survival ration.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Haller |first=Daniel |date=2011-03-29 |title=Cenovis AG - Die Cenovis-Schnitte feiert ihren 80. |url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/baselland/die-cenovis-schnitte-feiert-ihren-80-ld.2051770 |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=bz Basel |language=de}}</ref> In 1965, Vitamin-Hefe AG acquired all of the word marks and manufacturing processes from Cenovis-Werke GmbH in Munich.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-02 |title=Industriekultur |url=http://www.vamus.ch/industriekultur/firma_detail.cfm?search=ort=%27Rheinfelden%27&start=38 |access-date=2023-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402211020/http://www.vamus.ch/industriekultur/firma_detail.cfm?search=ort=%27Rheinfelden%27&start=38 |archive-date=2016-04-02 }}</ref> The foreign trademark rights were sold to the Hügli Group in Steinach SG.<ref name=":1" /> The Heirler Cenovis GmbH that emerged from it has a similar range of products as the Munich Cenovis of the time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historie |url=https://www.cenovis.de/ueber-cenovis/historie/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Cenovis |language=de}}</ref>

== Revival ==
Cenovis yeast extract was developed during times of economic crisis, aimed at replacing meat products like [[sausage]]s. It is economical, long-lasting without refrigeration, and shares similarities with the Australian spread Vegemite. However, unlike Vegemite, which has become a staple in the harsh environment of the Australian outback, Cenovis has seen a decline in sales in Switzerland. In German-speaking Switzerland, it remains popular among the older generation, while in French-speaking Switzerland, it only gained traction after being relaunched by Michel Yagchi in 1999, with the help of Didier Fischer and Frank Guemara, who applied modern marketing techniques to rejuvenate the brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.domainepublic.ch/files/articles/html/8897.shtml|title="Marques suisses, Cenovis: Le réseau de la tartine"|trans-title=Swiss brands: the network of spreads for your bread|publisher=Marco Danesi|year=2005|access-date=2005-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529192344/http://www.domainepublic.ch/files/articles/html/8897.shtml|archive-date=2007-05-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 29 February 2008, Michel Yagchi transferred the brand, acquired in 1999, to Gustav Gerig AG, an [[Aargau]] company, and the product thereby returned to its [[Canton (administrative division)|canton]] of origin.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/488c4638-aa05-11dd-bf59-ad3d6140ad87/Le_Cenovis_retourne_en_Argovie |title=Le Cenovis retourne en Argovi |trans-title=Cenovois returns to Aargau |journal=Le Temps |series=Economie & Finance |year=2008 |location=Geneva, Switzerland |access-date=2010-12-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705081314/http://www.letemps.ch/Page/Uuid/488c4638-aa05-11dd-bf59-ad3d6140ad87/Le_Cenovis_retourne_en_Argovie |archive-date=July 5, 2009 }}</ref>

Cenovis has been manufactured by Sonaris AG in [[Arisdorf|Arisdorf BL]] since 2008. Sonaris AG was founded in [[Rheinfelden (Aargau)|Rheinfelden AG]] in 1997 as the successor company to Leiber Vitamin-Hefe AG. From then on, the production rights for the production of the Cenovis extract were held by the company Sonaris AG, which relocated its headquarters from Rheinfelden to Arisdorf in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Handelsregister No 48 Mittwoch, 12.03.2003 121. Jahrgang |url=https://www.shab.ch/shabforms/servlet/Search?EID=7&DOCID=901310 |access-date=2023-08-01}}</ref> In 2008, Cenovis' Swiss trademark rights  were bought back by Sonaris AG.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haller |first=Daniel |date=2011-03-29 |title=Cenovis AG - Die Cenovis-Schnitte feiert ihren 80. |url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/basel/baselland/die-cenovis-schnitte-feiert-ihren-80-ld.2051770 |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=bz Basel |language=de}}</ref> International distribution, notably in France, uses the Sonaris brand instead. In 2013, the two companies Cenovis AG and Sonaris AG merged to form today's Cenovis AG, based in Arisdorf.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-05-13 |title=Cenovis und Sonaris haben fusioniert |url=https://www.foodaktuell.ch/2013/05/13/cenovis-und-sonaris-haben-fusioniert/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=foodaktuell |language=de-DE}}</ref>

The company presents the following story behind Cenovis:
<blockquote>"In 1931, a brewer recycled the yeast used for the fermentation of beer: vegetal substances very rich in vitamin B<sub>1</sub>. 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 Army|Swiss soldiers]]... Healthy and strong soldiers!"<ref name=cenovis>{{cite web |url=http://www.cenovis.ch/fr/tradition/ |title=Lorsqu'on allie la saveur à la santé ... |trans-title=When one combines flavour with health... |publisher=Cenovis.ch |date=1999 |access-date=2011-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309124452/http://www.cenovis.ch/fr/tradition/ |archive-date=2011-03-09 }} (French)</ref>
</blockquote>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food|Switzerland}}
* ''[[Culinary Heritage of Switzerland]]''
* [[List of brand name condiments]]
* [[List of spreads]]
* [[Marmite]]
* [[Promite]]
* [[Vegemite]]
* [[Vitam-R]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://cenovis.ch/ Cenovis SA]. The makers of Cenovis (in German)
*[http://www.justhungry.com/2006/11/marmite_vegemite_andcenovis_a.html Marmite, Vegemite, and...Cenovis? A tale of salty yeast spreads]

[[Category:Yeast extract spreads]]
[[Category:Brand name condiments]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Umami enhancers]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1931]]
[[Category:Culinary Heritage of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Food paste]]