Brand Maggi stronger than ever as Nestle India gears up for new leader

Nothing has presented “two minutes” as tastefully as Maggi since its entry into India over four decades ago.

When it first arrived in the country in 1983, Nestlé’s “two-minute noodles” faced a daunting task: Cracking the traditional roti-sabzi market. 

But with an instantly catchy Doordarshan campaign, Maggi not only created a new category of snacking but also came to dominate it. Today, Maggi remains the undisputed champion of the instant noodle segment, notwithstanding a near-existential crisis a few years ago and intense competition.

Nestlé India is poised for a leadership change as Suresh Narayanan, who became chairman and managing director in 2015 when the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had ordered a nationwide recall of Maggi noodles due to high levels of lead found in the product, prepares to retire in July 2025. His tenure and departure offer a moment to reflect on the resilience and committed following of the brand Maggi.
 

For an insight, look no further than the popular “Tom Uncle’s Maggi Point” at Delhi University’s North Campus. Run by Sandeep Kataria, affectionately known as “Tom Uncle,” this kiosk has served Maggi since 1993. “We started selling Maggi back then and never stopped,” he recalls, reflecting the brand’s place in the hearts — and stomachs — of generations of students.

Brand consultants agree that Maggi has transcended its product category. 

Samit Sinha, founder of Alchemist brand consulting, notes: “Maggi wasn’t the first instant noodle in India, but it became synonymous with the category. Originally aimed at children, it quickly spread and became a staple at the remotest households of the country.”

This reach proved vital in 2015 when Maggi faced its most turbulent period with FSSAI banning the instant noodles sales for five-month sales. Around 35,000 tonnes of noodles were pulled off shelves and destroyed. Yet, despite the turmoil, Maggi emerged unscathed, with even more dedicated fans, because of “traction and momentum” it had established long before the crisis.

Nestlé responded by doubling down on its distribution network, expanding its reach to 205,000 villages under the Rurban strategy.

“The spread and reach of the brand has made it ubiquitous and an important part of the country’s fabric today.”

At the height of the 2015 crisis, Kataria aka "Tom Uncle”, recalls “students who visited the stall during those days would ask if there was a packet still lying somewhere. Once the brand was back on shelves, it started selling more than ever before.”  

Santosh Desai, a noted brand expert and CEO and MD of Future Brands, suggests that Maggi found a perfect niche within Indian consumer preferences, positioning itself as an accessible and adaptable staple. “There was an inherent fondness and affection for the brand, which enabled its quick revival in 2015.It is also a brand that continued to evolve itself as the years flew by.”

While Nestlé India’s net sales tumbled 17.2 per cent in 2015 owing to the crisis, Maggi quickly regained its position as the market leader in 2016 with over 60 per cent market share. Today India is the brand’s biggest market globally, with more than six billion serves in the last year. The brand is part of the prepared dishes and cooking aids portfolio, which contributed to 30.4 per cent of total sales in 2023.
 

The Maggi product-line has also evolved over time. The company launched vegetable atta noodles in 2005, an oats variant in 2014, and more recently, a Korean-flavoured noodle in 2023 to tap into India’s Hallyu wave. This product diversification has kept the brand fresh and responsive to changing consumer tastes.