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Maggi is the staple diet of students and bachelors all over India.
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Nestle India profit gains as Maggi noodles sales rebound
MUMBAI (NewsRise) — Nestle India said first-quarter profit rose 7%, as the maker of popular Maggi noodles continued to boost sales, brushing off the impact of a contamination scare that hit the company two years ago.
The unit of the Swiss food giant said profit in the quarter ended in March stood at 3.07 billion rupees ($48 million), compared with 2.87 billion rupees a year earlier. Sales grew 9.5% to 25.92 billion rupees as volumes across product groups, including Maggi noodles, rose. Higher prices also helped, the company said.
Nestle is slowly rebuilding its business in India after the company was caught in the midst of one of the worst food scares in a decade in June 2015 when a regulator banned Maggi noodles saying investigations showed the instant snack contained dangerous levels of lead. The company has maintained that Maggi is safe, challenged the ban in a court, and resumed sales in November.
Maggi, which had roughly 80% of India’s instant noodle market, saw its market share being razed down because of the scandal. Since resuming sales, it used aggressive marketing and advertisements to re-establish consumer confidence, pushing its market share to more than 60% at the end of December.
In an effort to rebound from the noodle scare, Nestle India launched about 30 new products over the past one year, its largest foray in a long time.
Still, analysts aren’t impressed with Maggi’s come back as weak growth trends persist in other products.
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Star
Wednesday June 3, 2015 MYT 9:18:38 PM
Nestlé Malaysia: Locally-made Maggi noodles safe for consumption
PETALING JAYA: Despite reports of Maggi instant noodles being pulled off shelves in India due to high lead content, there are no plans to recall the popular product from Malaysian stores.
“All Maggi noodle products are safe for consumption so yes, there will not be any product recall for Maggi noodles produced in Malaysia,” said Nestlé Malaysia corporate communication representative Maxine Lim to The Star Online.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nestle said all its products adhere to stringent manufacturing conditions that meet both local and international standards.
“Nestlé Malaysia regularly monitors for lead as part of our stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead levels in all our products to be within permissible limits,” it added.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/03/Nestle-Malaysia-statement-on-Maggi-noodles/
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The Delhi government decided to file a case against the company and was today meeting officials of Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA.
#Maggi noodles ordered off shelves of at least 10 states in India due to lead levels http://tdy.sg/1AK0f81
NEW DELHI — Indian shopkeepers withdrew a popular brand of instant noodle from their shelves today (June 3) after tests revealed the snack contained lead above permissible levels.
At least 10 Indian states have either ordered the withdrawal of Maggi noodles from shops or ordered the testing of noodle samples, prior to taking action against the manufacturer, Nestle India.
Maggi sales have plunged in India since laboratory tests showed the noodles contained lead and the chemical flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate, or MSG, at levels higher than the legal minimum.
Yesterday, the Delhi city government said that it had conducted tests of 13 samples of Maggi noodles and 10 of these were found to be unsafe with lead exceeding the permissible level.
http://www.todayonline.com/chinaindia/india/maggi-noodles-ordered-indias-shelves-due-lead-level
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Mocktale: Engineering students to stage a dharna to support Maggi http://me2.do/5Vng7k17
Times of India 
Mocktale: Engineering students to stage a dharna to support Maggi
Stories in Mocktale are works of fiction intended to bring a smile to your face. They bear no connection to events and characters in real life.
Maggi, which is the staple diet of students and bachelors all over the country, has landed in trouble…. Speculations are rife that all this might lead to a ban on Maggi. Students and bachelors have joined hands against this imminent ban. Inspired from the Aam Aadmi Party, they have decided to stage a dharna. Our Mocktale reporter talked with some of the protestors to know more about the dharna.
“First they banned beef and we remained silent. Now, they are planning to ban Maggi, but we won’t let that happen,” said an engineering student who bunked his class to gear up for the dharna. “Maggi is the single source of joy in many people’s life. When you are living away from home, Maggi comes to your rescue every time you are hungry and too lazy to go out. I am very sure that it isn’t as harmful as smoking and rather than banning it, the government can put a warning on the packet which says “Maggi is injurious to health”…
“The government should realise that no one eats Maggi for its nutrients. A product which is worth Rs 10 and barely takes any time to cook obviously can’t be of any nutritional value. We are planning to invite all the Maggi enthusiasts at one place and pull off a Maggi eating marathon. It will be the exact opposite of a hunger strike. We want Anna Hazare to be the chief guest,” another student concluded.
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In the meantime it is important to note that there are no other orders to recall MAGGI Noodle products in the market. People can be confident that MAGGI Noodle products are safe to eat.
UPDATE FROM MAGGI |
NO ORDER TO RECALL MAGGI NOODLES BEING SOLD
NESTLÉ HOUSE, Gurgaon, 21st May, 2015: On 30th April 2015 the local authorities in Lucknow asked us to recall one batch of MAGGI Noodles (around 200,000 packs) which were manufactured in February 2014 and had already reached the ‘Best Before date’ in November 2014. Nestlé India’s current practice is to collect stock that is near ‘Best Before date’ from distributors/retailers so we are confident that these packs are no longer in the market. The company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities. In the meantime it is important to note that there are no other orders to recall MAGGI Noodle products in the market. People can be confident that MAGGI Noodle products are safe to eat.
The quality and safety of our products are the top priorities for our Company.
We have in place strict food safety and quality controls at our MAGGI factories, including thorough quality checks at each stage of our raw material sourcing and manufacturing process. This includes comprehensive testing to ensure that MAGGI Noodles comply with all applicable food safety laws, as well as our own high standards of quality and safety before they reach our consumers.
We are aware of reports that tests by the local authorities have detected Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in a sample of MAGGI Noodles and that they are continuing their investigation. We have submitted product samples to an independent accredited laboratory and will share the results with the authorities.
We do not add MSG to our MAGGI Noodles sold in India and this is stated on the concerned product. However, we use hydolysed groundnut protein, onion powder and wheat flour to make MAGGI Noodles sold in India, which all contain glutamate. We believe that the authorities’ tests may have detected glutamate, which occurs naturally in many foods.
We are also aware of the reports of elevated levels of lead in a pack of MAGGI Noodles analysed by the authorities. We regularly monitor for lead as part of our stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead levels in MAGGI Noodles to be within permissible limits. We have submitted product samples to an independent accredited laboratory and will share the results with the authorities.
Firstpost The Maggi saga: Nestle noodles now to be tested by Maharashtra FDA. http://bit.ly/1LkJTCT
May 22, 2015
Mumbai: Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra on Friday said it will verify the claims about presence of lead in Maggi noodles before taking a decision on recalling the product.
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“We have collected samples of the product from different parts of the state such as Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai and have sent them to our laboratory for tests,” Dr Harshdeep Kamble, state FDA commissioner, told reporters in Mumbai.
“The results will come in a few days, after which we will decide if there is a need to take action,” the senior IAS official said.
PTI
http://www.firstpost.com/india/maggi-saga-nestle-noodles-now-tested-maharashtra-fda-2258714.html
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Latest facts on the controversy over recall of #Maggi Noodles http://goo.gl/lxeNPo
NDTV Maggi contains 7 times more lead than it should, and MSG, says test report http://goo.gl/XCE42l
Lucknow: Maggi noodles contain not only monosodium glutamate, or MSG, but it also contains extremely high levels of lead – nearly seven times the permissible limit – a test conducted by the government has found. While Uttar Pradesh, which tested the samples, is contemplating legal action, Maharashtra and Gujarat have followed suit, sending samples for testing. The results are expected next week.
“The test conducted at Kolkata’s National Food Laboratories proves the company’s claims of not adding MSG is false,” said a food inspector at Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. Going by the levels of lead present — 17.2 ppm even though the permissible limit is upto 2.5 ppm — the laboratory has also declared it as unsafe for health.
Nestle India, which manufactures the popular brand of Noodles, had said in a statement that MSG, a taste enhancer, is not added in the product. Rather, “glutamate, if present, occurs naturally in some of the ingredients used,” the company said. Every packet of Maggi noodles carries a tag that says, “No added MSG”.
Regarding the levels of lead, Nestle had said, “We regularly monitor for lead as part of our stringent quality control processes, including testing by accredited laboratories. These tests have consistently shown lead levels in MAGGI Noodles to be within permissible limits.”
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Singh, Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration, said, “We have referred the matter to our legal cell and appropriate action will be taken. Meanwhile, we have sent more samples for testing.”
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Apnarozgaar Nestle challenges UP’s order on Maggi recall: Nestle India Ltd has taken issue with an order… http://goo.gl/fb/Vx4wlT
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MUMBAI: Nestle India Ltd has taken issue with an order from regional food inspectors in Uttar Pradesh to recall a batch of Maggi noodles on the grounds that it contained dangerous levels of lead.
“The company does not agree with the order and is filing the requisite representations with the authorities,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA.
Local FDA officials said all the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated.
Nestle India said the batch of about 200,000 packets of noodles it was being asked to recall were made in February last year and had already reached their “best-before” date last November.
It said it collects stock nearing best-before dates from distributors and retailers and was confident products from that batch were no longer on the market.
Nestle India also said it had not received any other order to recall noodles currently being sold.
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Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA:
“We do not add MSG to Maggi Noodles, and glutamate, if present, may come from naturally occurring sources. We are surprised with the content supposedly found in the sample as we monitor the lead content regularly as a part of the regulatory requirements.”
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/indian-inspectors-order/1860748.html?cid=?cid=twtcna
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21 May 2015
Quartz With Maggi in hot water, Nestle India could be in instant trouble http://qz.com/408693 via @qzindia
For decades now, Maggi—the two-minute instant noodle brand owned by Nestle—has been an Indian favourite. And for the Swiss multinational, it’s been a critical part of its growth in Asia’s third largest economy.
In the last nine years, a May 4 report by Nomura said, the Maggi brand has grown in double digits on the back of expanding modern retail, urbanisation, targeted promotions and consistent innovation. For the medium term, the report added, this growth is likely to continue.
But Maggi has suddenly found itself in hot water—and that could put Nestle India in a lot of trouble.
Earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) found monosodium glutamate (MSG) and excessive lead content in some of the Maggi samples they tested. MSG, typically used as a flavour enhancer, can cause headaches, chest pain and nausea.
Four days later, on May 20, the FDA in Uttar Pradesh ordered Nestle to recall a batch of products—dating back to March 2014—after they found that two dozen packets of Maggi contained almost seven times the permissible levels of lead, alongside high levels of MSG.
Nestle, however, maintains that it does not use MSG (pdf) in manufacturing any of its products. Emails and messages sent by Quartz to Nestle remain unanswered.
Together, these two developments may not only potentially hurt the trusted brand name—Maggi was among India’s five most trusted, brands according to the 2014 Brand Equity survey—but could also hit Nestle’s growth trajectory in India.
Currently, the prepared dishes and cooking aids category, which includes Maggi, contributes nearly 30% of Nestle India’s revenue, according to a January 2015 research report by French banking and financial services firm, Societe Generale. This is the second largest revenue contributor after milk products and nutrition, which forms 43% of the sales.
For more:
http://qz.com/408693/with-maggi-in-hot-water-nestle-india-could-be-in-instant-trouble/
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We have enough MSG in our lives #Maggi, get your act together. Agree? Disagree?
India News/Politics Oh I am heart broken How Twitterati reacted to Maggi recall buzz: The news that Nestles Maggi noodles would be… http://bit.ly/1FyiUnj
Twitteratti responded immediatley to the Maggi recall buzz after food inspectors in Uttar Pradesh found dangerously high levels of lead in a particular batch of the popular brand.
Although food inspectors later denied recalling the brand and Nestle refuting charges of high content of lead and MSG in its product, the damage was done.
Social media was flooded with people expressing emotions from disappointment to shock at the news.
Dear #Maggi, I have grown up loving you. I am heart broken to know that you have been a poison all through out.
Some however, found a silver lining after the revelation.
Ban On Maggi not only saves Indian people but also helps in uplifting the farmers society. #maggiban
.@NestleIndia ordered to withdraw Maggie noodles after tests show high lead content, MSG http://bit.ly/1Amts8A
…NEW DELHI: Indian food inspectors have ordered Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles from shops across the country, saying the product contained dangerous levels of lead.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh said high lead content was found during routine tests on two dozen packets of instant noodles, manufactured by Nestle in India
Two FDA officials said all the packets of instant noodles tested in the state-run laboratory were contaminated. They found a lead concentration of 17.2 parts per million (ppm), nearly seven times the permissible limit. The FDA officials said the acceptable limit of lead ranges between 0.01 ppm and 2.5 ppm.
The scientists also found high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, in the noodles.
“Maggi instant noodles contained dangerous amount of lead and MSG. We had to immediately issue orders against the company,” D.G. Srivastava, deputy inspector general of the FDA in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, told Reuters.
Nestle India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle SA, said it had strict safety and quality controls in place for all raw materials used to make Maggi noodles.
“We do not add MSG to Maggi Noodles, and glutamate, if present, may come from naturally occurring sources. We are surprised with the content supposedly found in the sample as we monitor the lead content regularly as a part of the regulatory requirements,” it said.
(Reporting by Rupam Jain Nair and Clara Ferreira Marques; Editing by David Holmes)
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Gulf News #Indian food inspectors recall #Maggi noodles after finding ‘dangerous’ amounts of lead http://bit.ly/1PWFNSZ
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Hindustan Times Big Story | Food inspectors order recall of Maggi noodles, say found excess lead http://read.ht/rIQ
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Food inspectors in Uttar Pradesh have found dangerously-high lead content in a batch of the popular two-minute instant noodle brand Maggi, leading to speculation about its maker Nestle India recalling the particular lot.
The UP commissioner food safety and drug administration, PK Singh, told HT investigations on the Maggi samples seized by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) from the state had been completed and high lead content was found in the batch.
But he didn’t confirm what kind of fine was likely to be slapped on Nestle or if high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer, were also found, adding that the facts would be confirmed by Thursday.
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NDTV News feed Maggi Noodles Packets Recalled Across Uttar Pradesh, Say Food Inspectors: Report http://goo.gl/fb/hQjSFE
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