After being off the shelves for more than six months, the popular instant noodles is back in the market.
Maggi, the embattled Nestle brand that was relaunched during Diwali, is a hit at the ongoing India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi' Pragati Maidan.
After being off the shelves for more than six months, the popular instant noodles is back in the market.
"This is the only stall at the trade fair. It's the first time that a Maggi stall has been installed at Pragati Maidan and the response has been overwhelming. We are selling 500-600 plates every day. It's just plain Maggi noodles but people are still thronging our counter more than any other food stalls here," Shobhit Sharma from the sales team of Nestle, the Switzerland-based holding company of the international brand of soups, noodles and seasonings, said.
One of the reasons cited for the success of Maggi sales at the trade fair is the revoking of the ban that was imposed six months ago on the brand.
Satish Chauhan, one of the food coupon distributors at the Park Balluchi eating centre (next to Hall No.7), said that less than 2 per cent of the crowd was buying coupons of other food stalls.
"Everybody wants Maggi. We have other food stalls also offering food like dosas, bhel puri and pizzas but the demand for Maggi has been highest since day 1," Mr Chuahan said.
Young professional Neha Sharma from Tilak Nagar said: "Ever since I came here I've been longing for these noodles and Pakistani chai. It is a sigh of relief. There is a lot of decadent food over here but all I want is Maggi. My mother came to the trade fair on the first day itself and informed me that there is a Maggi stall at the trade fair. So today I'm here with her."
In May, eight variants of the noodles were under the radar of the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India after it found 'non-permissible' levels of lead and MSG in the product. However, the food departments of Britain and Canada approved the product as safe for consumption. Nestle India had re-launched its popular noodle brand on November 9 after the Bombay High Court lifted the ban on it.