Vimax Porridge - Ground Oats (Page 3)

I am searching for Vimax Porridge, it is finely ground oats, also should come coarsely ground. I would be grateful if somebody could let me know where it is available.

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Re: Vimax Kid (# 16)

Been reading these comments and have tried a few times mixing in wheat Germ or wheat bran into my porrage mix and blend it all up in the ninja bullet thing, I think it tastes similar to wat my Gma used to make, .. been searching too as I loved this stuff, will experiment w linseed as some1 mentioned also, n will defo contact sanitarium too n see wat they say.... i can taste it in my mind

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I remember it well. The vi part of vimax name refers to vitamin. In this case vitamin B, because of added wheat germ.

One aspect of vimax was that it might cause heatspots in some children. A problem in larger families.

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Re: JustMe (# 41)

you're right. The Vimax refers to vi(tamin)max. Vitamin B, and wheat germ implied. Even the remembered texture has (to me) a wheatgermy aspect to it. Likewise the taste.

Some kids got heatspots with it.

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A few people have mentioned Sanitarium. The brand ELFIN comes to mind. Did Sanitarium make the ELFIN products, can anyone remember ???

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Re: Mrs kiwiana (# 9)

I know it's an old thread, sorry, but having often made semolina porridge and Vimax as a kid, my guess is that Vimax was semolina based and possibly a few other ingredients as well.
But the base taste and texture is definitely semolina.

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This might help shed some light on how Vi-MAX was made: https:/­/­paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/­newspapers/­WT19400608.2.113.40.3. I also loved Vi-MAX.

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Well I got a reply from Emma at Sanitarium. They were very helpful. Lots of info ...

Thank you very much for contacting us regarding Vi-Max porrige. This product was not manufactured by Sanitarium and so unfortunately there is not a lot of information we can provide.

However our archivist has had a look into this product out of interest, and has found the following information:

I looked at advertisements for Vi-Max on the NZ Papers Past website, and found that it was made by D.H. Brown and Son Ltd, Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch. See: https:/­/­paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/­newspapers/­ESD19460724.2.133.2?end_date=31-12-1950&items_per_page=10&page=3&query=vi-max&snippet=true&start_date=23-04-1946&title=ESD

and https:/­/­paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/­newspapers/­NA19490704.2.18.4

A good description of the product can be found at https:/­/­paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/­newspapers/­MS19401010.2.85?items_per_page=10&query=vimax&snippet=true

D.H Brown and Son Ltd, the manufacturers of Vi-Max, were flour millers in Christchurch. One website https:/­/­ehive.com/­collections/­3355/­objects/­662984/­bag-flour-vi-meal has a picture of a flour bag, labelled “Vi-Meal” which is described as “A Product of the VI-MAX Factory of D.H. BROWN & SON LTD CHRISTCHURCH”.

A small colour image of the pack can be seen at https:/­/­longwhitekid.wordpress.com/­category/­vi-max-cereal/­ (need to scroll down the page).

I hope this is helpful. There is a statement in a forum on the web that it was made by Sanitarium, but this is obviously in error. It was probably sold in our retail shops (along with many products made by other manufacturers), and so that may be how the writer connected it with our company.

We can hear how much you loved this product and hope the above information is helpful to you.

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Re: Helen (# 3)

Dear old Aunt Daisy was a great supporter of Vi Max, her famous catch-cry was "remember, it doesn't heat the blood"!

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I can’t advise whether Vimax was from oats or wheat and I had no idea one could make porridge of it. But when I was little (in the late ‘40s) my favourite breakfast was squashed bananas and uncooked Vimax with milk and sugar.

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I was a Miller at DH Brown in Moorehouse Ave in Christchurch in the 1980's. The material we used for Vi-max was a stream of semolina rich with germ and some bran, taken out very early in the wheat milling process. It was very prone to infestation because the product was too fragile for mechanical infestation destroyers. My mum use to make biscuits with it and they had a nutty crunchy flavour. I also doubt the demand was huge either. I remember it was a difficult product to get the right bulk density, too heavy was too low in the bag, too light it was too big in the bag

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Re: Windy Miller (# 50)

PART OF THE Vi-Max STORY.
My father was General Manager of D H Brown and Son at the time VI -Max was first marketed in 1940. Browns was a private flour milling company manufacturing Peerless Flour and associated wheat based products. It was based here in Christchurch.

Prior to 1940 they also manufactured Terry’s Meal an Australian porridge which, presumably was manufactured here for the New Zealand market on behalf of the Australian company. Brown’s management decided that there was an opportunity for a local company to manufacture and market a wheat based porridge here in New Zealand, which they did with Vi-Max. The main opposition here in the south being Diamond Oatis (Timaru Milling Company) and Creamoata which was made by Flemings of Gore.

Charles Haines Advertising Ltd assisted with marketing. The characters Vi and Max were introduced. Similarly Aunt Daisy ( Maud Basham ) was used to spread the word.

When the 1960’s arrived Kiwis wanted to spend less time preparing breakfasts so the popularity of porridge was replaced by quickly prepared breakfasts like Weetbix and muesli. Products like Creamoata, Diamond Oatis and Vi-Max slowly disappeared.

Vi-Max was a wheat based product with added wheat germ. I remember Vi-Max being made in a small building adjacent to the grain store. Later Vi-Max was manufactured through the main flour mill. The property in Moorhouse Avenue, still has a flour mill on it but it is owned by Goodman Fielder an international company who have carried on using the names of loved and trusted household brands including: Meadow Fresh, Edmonds, Chelsea, Puhoi Valley, Molenberg, Vogels and Natures Fresh just to name a few.

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Re: Brian (# 51)

That’s great info Brian! I loved Vi-Max sooo much. I was kind of hoping I could find out a way to replicate it. But I suspect that the manufacturing process would not be something that could easily be replicated in the home.

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Vi max has been gone for years, but I have found one very similar to it...
Oat bran, from countdown, it's in a 500g packet and about $2.60....

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Re: Peter (# 49)

Have found one similar to vi max, OAT BRAN from countdown/Woolworth,500g pkt, for $2.60

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Re: Windy Miller (# 50)

Woolworths/countdown have similar product,OAT BRAN, 500g pkt, $2.60

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Re: Heather (# 2)

Hi there. I bought some a while back, I think from Bin Inn.

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Re: Rosie (# 56)

Oat Bran and Vimax are not the same thing. Vimax is in fact wheat based and has a very different texture and taste.

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I'm in new Zealand and vi max has not been around for years...
The closest I have found is from Woolworths/countdown and is OAT BRAN, one of their own brand, possibly from Australia...

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Re: Mark (# 57)

I realise this...but is close enough for me, and I understand...

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Re: Rosie (# 56)

Thank you. I will check it out...

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