Maggi lovers express joy on the return of Nestle
Maggi lovers express joy on the return of Nestle

Maggi lovers are celebrating the return of the popular instant snack after Nestle resumed its sale in several cities on Monday, nearly five months after it was banned over allegations by the food regulator that it contained excessive lead and mislabelling over flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG), reported ET.

At Rs 2,000 crore, Maggi used to be Nestle's biggest brand before the controversy. Its nationwide ban and the subsequent recall of the product in June this year wiped out not only the instant noodles category but significantly dented sales of the entire packaged snacks category.

Nestle also tied up with online retailer Snapdeal and consumers snapped up the stipulated quota of 60,000 kits of Maggi in a matter of minutes. While online grocery company Grofers said it had to restrict sale to three packets per order, from six earlier, when demand for the product spiraled on Tuesday. Grofers said it sold about 30,000 packets that day besides distributed about 4,000 packets of Maggi with various orders.

According to Nestle, demand for Maggi has far exceeded supply even as the company is awaiting approval to manufacture the snack in eight more states. "We have supplied almost 2.5 crore packs of Maggi noodles in the first four days and the demand is overwhelming," a Nestle spokesperson said.

"We are making efforts to ramp up operations as rapidly as we can and are also engaging with the relevant authorities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to obtain directions for commencing manufacture of Maggi noodles there as well," said the spokesperson on Nestle is now stepping up production.

Nestle further says Punjab too has removed restrictions on sale of Maggi noodles.

 
Stay on top – Get the daily news from Indian Retailer in your inbox
Also Worth Reading