Maggi comes in new Asian flavour inspired noodles range

नेस्ले इंडिया अपने इंस्टेंट नूडल्स मैगी के लिए एक विज्ञापन अभियान जारी करने की योजना बना रही है। इस अभियान में नेस्ले, मैगी के विश्वसनीय तथ्यों के बारे में बताएगी।

दरअसल कल ही सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने सराकर द्वारा राष्ट्रीय उपभोक्ता विवाद निवारण आयोग (एनसीडीआरसी) में स्विस प्रमुख के खिलाफ दर्ज शिकायत मामले में आगे की कार्यवाही करने की अनुमति दी है। इसी के बाद आज नेस्ले ने ये योजना बनाई।

नेस्ले ये अभियान पांच जनवरी से शुरू करेगा।

नेस्ले इंडिया के स्पोकपर्सन ने बताया कि इस अभियान में नेस्ले सभी बड़े अखबारों में मैगी की सेफ्टी और लैब टेस्ट की रिपोर्ट के बारे में बताते हुए विज्ञापन देगा।

उन्होंने आगे बताया, 'एक प्रमाणिक, विश्वसनीय और जिम्मेदार कंपनी होने के नाते हम हमेशा अपने कंज्यूमर से इसके तथ्यों के बारे में साफ, स्पष्ट और सही तरीके से बात करते रहेंगे। ये सब आप हमारे कुछ ही दिनों में छपने वाले प्रिंट विज्ञापन में देख पाएंगे।'

शुरू में सिर्फ तीन दिन के लिए अभियान चलाया जाएगा। इसके बाद कंपनी कंज्यूमर की प्रतिक्रिया पर ध्यान देगी।

Nestle India is planning to release advertisement campaigns highlighting the “trustworthy facts” about its instant noodles brand Maggi.

This comes a day after the Supreme Court revived the class-action suit by the government against the Swiss major in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

Nestle is planning to start the campaign from January 5^th.

In the campaign, Nestle would publish a series of advertisements in all leading national newspapers informing the consumers about the safety of Maggi Noodles and the outcome of the lab test reports, which had cleared it for consumption, a Nestle India spokesperson said.

“Our approach as a credible, trustworthy and responsible company is to always communicate with consumers on facts, in a simple, clear and transparent tone and manner... What you will see in the print ads to be released over the next few days is just that,” added the spokesperson cited above.

The campaign would initially be launched for three days and then the company will look at the consumer response.

गुड्स एवं सर्विसेज (जीएसटी) के तहत् नेशनल एंटी प्रोफिटरिंग अथॉरिटी ने उत्तरप्रदेश स्थित मैगी नूडल्स के एक वितरक को मुनाफाखोरी में शामिल होने के आरोप में पकड़ा है। 

एंटी प्रोफिटरिंग के सतर्कता अधिकारी ने डीलर को 18% की उपभोक्ता कल्याण निधि में 90,778 रूपये जमा करने के साथ 2253 रूपये शिकायतकर्ता को लौटाने के भी निर्देश दिए हैं।

मैगी के ही खुदरा व्यापारी शिकायतकर्ता ने बताया कि नवंबर 2017 में जीएसटी की दर 18% से घटकर 12% हो जाने के बाद भी  35 ग्राम के मैगी के पैकेट पर मूल कीमत को बढ़ाकर इतना कर दिया गया कि उसका दाम पहले जैसा ही बना रहे। हालांकि उसने यह भी बताया कि 5 रूपये एमआरपी वाले मैगी के पैकेट पर होने वाले नुकसान की भरपाई करने के लिए 12 रूपये एमआरपी वाले (70 ग्राम) के पैकेट के दाम घटाने की बात की गई। 

एनएए ने अपने आदेश में यह स्पष्ट किया है कि करों में आई कमी का लाभ उत्पाद की हर इकाई पर दिया जाना चाहिए। वितरक इस बात का निर्णय नहीं ले सकता कि वह एक साइज़ के पैकेट को कम और दूसरे साइज़ के पैकेट को अधिक कीमत पर बेचेगा। यह भी स्पष्ट किया गया कि 35 ग्राम का पैकेट 70 ग्राम के पैकेट से अलग है और इसे खरीदना वाले लोग भी अलग-अलग हो सकते हैं और इस तरह एक उत्पाद पर उपभोक्ता को दिए जाने वाले लाभ में भेद नहीं किया जा सकता। 

पीडब्ल्यूसी इंडिया के प्रत्यक्ष कर के पार्टनर और लीडर प्रतीक जैन ने बताया, ‘’एक अन्य निर्देश द्वारा यह स्पष्ट है कि जीएसटी की दर में होने वाली कटौती की वजह से होने वाले लाभ को इकाई स्तर तक वितरित करना होगा। इसे उत्पाद स्तर या समग्र स्तर पर नहीं किया जा सकता।‘’

The National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has held an Uttar Pradesh-based dealer of Maggi noodles guilty of indulging in profiteering.

The anti-profiteering watchdog has directed the dealer to deposit Rs 90,778 along with an interest of 18% per annum in the Consumer Welfare Fund and refund Rs 2,253 to the complainant.

The complainant, a Maggi retailer, had alleged that despite a reduction in the GST rate from 18% to 12% in November 2017, the base price of a 35gm pack was increased to bring it at par with the price before the change. He, however, said that the benefit which accrued in respect of Rs 5 MRP pack had been passed on by reducing the price of Rs 12 MRP (70gm) pack of Maggi. 

NAA, in its order, said that the benefit of tax reduction had to be passed on for every unit, the dealer could not selectively lower price of one pack size to cover other pack sizes. It further stated that a 35gm pack of Maggi Noodles is distinct from a 70gm pack and both the packs may be bought by the different customers and hence, the benefit accruing to one customer cannot be given or denied to another.

Pratik Jain, partner and leader, indirect tax, PwC India, said, "This is another ruling which mandates that any benefit arising as a result of reduction in GST rate has to be passed on at each stock keeping unit level and the same cannot be passed on at a product or entity level."

Maggi, an  instant noodles brand by Nestle India has gained over 60 per cent market share in terms of value after facing legal battles and has almost touched the pre-crisis level, said a top company official. However, volume-wise Maggi is still away from the pre-crisis period, when Nestle used to dominate the market with 75 per cent market share.

"We are little over 60 per cent (market share). In business terms, we are almost back to where we were (in terms of pre-crisis). In value terms, we are almost back there," said Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan.

He further said, "We still have some time to catch up that pre-crisis volume."

Maggi as of now contributes around one-third of the total sales of the company.

"Total contribution from the prepared foods (Maggi and Maggi franchise) is about 30 per cent," said Narayanan in a media roundtable here.

Nestle India had in 2017 crossed the Rs 10,000-crore sales mark.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had banned Maggi in June 2015 for five months for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market.

After overcoming the legal battles, the popular noodles brand was back in the market in November 2015.

To roll out promotions for new variants of Maggi noodles, Nestle India has tied-up with Google and Paytm's e-commerce platform, Paytm Mall.

Inspired by regional cuisines, the new variants are will cater to distinctive local tastes with signature herbs and spices.

Paytm Mall has created a special Maggi brand store to sell Maggi Masalas starting from April 22.

Google will run an online contest, where consumers have to guess the new flavours by choosing the correct options and submitting their votes.

The company said, "The objective of this engagement is to build anticipation and excitement around the new variants, where consumers have to guess the four flavours from the eight options provided," Nestle said in a statement.

Patanajali Ayurved, the FMCG venture promoted by Baba Ramdev, has launched noodles aiming to take on Nestle's Maggi which has returned to the market after a 5-month ban.

The venture plans to set up six manufacturing plants for 'Patanjali Atta Noodles' to add to the existing unit based in Haridwar as looks to cater to more states.

"By the end of December, our noodles will hit one million stores. We are ramping our production capacity," Ramdev told reporters while unveiling the ‘Patanjali Maggi’.

In next one year, Patanajali Ayurved will set up noodles manufacturing plants in the NCR, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, he said without specifying investment details.

Patanajali has priced its noodles of 70 gram pack at Rs 15, claiming it to be cheaper from competitors.

"It is Rs 10 cheaper from our rival noodles, which are selling atta noodles at Rs 25," he said.

Nestle India had relaunched its Maggi noodles in the market last week after Bombay High Court had lifted ban on it imposed by FSSAI and Maharathstra FDA.

Ramdev said the company Patanajali Ayurved would also foray in childcare, cosmetics products and health supplement by the end of this year.

"We will launch baby care under 'Shishu Care' brand, beauty care products under 'Saundrya' brand and health supplement powder under 'Power Vita' brand by the end of December," he said.

The company had sales turnover of Rs 2,007 crore in 2014-15 and expects to reach Rs 5,000 crore this year.

Nestle, the manufacturer and producer of Maggi noodles said that it is planning to resume manufacturing of its instant noodles Maggi in India in November.

The company which was forced to withdraw Maggi from market and stop production in June following tests by certain labs allegedly finding lead and MSG beyond permissible limits, will send first samples of the fresh batches to three accredited labs for tests. This is in compliance with the order of Bombay High Court, reported PTI.

"We have resumed manufacturing of MAGGI Noodles at three of our plants, at Nanjangud (Karnataka), Moga (Punjab) and Bicholim (Goa)," said a Nestle India Spokesperson.

"In compliance with the orders of the High Court of Bombay, fresh samples from these newly manufactured batches will be sent for testing to the three accredited laboratories designated by the High Court,” added the Spokesperson.

"We shall commence sale only after the samples are cleared by these laboratories," he said.

Moreover, Nestle India is also engaging state authorities and stakeholders at its production locations to commence manufacturing at the earliest, he added.

On October 16, Nestle had said that all samples of Maggi (old batches) have cleared testing by three laboratories as mandated by the High Court.

"We have received test results from all three laboratories mandated by the Bombay High Court to test Maggi Noodles samples. All the 90 samples, covering six variants, tested by these laboratories are clear with lead much below the permissible limits," Nestle India said.

FSSAI, in June had banned Maggi noodle product says it was "unsafe and hazardous" for consumption after finding lead levels beyond permissible limits. The company had withdrawn the instant noodle brand from the market.

Nestle India, which took a hit of Rs 450 crore, including destroying over 30,000 tonnes of the instant noodles since June when it was banned because of alleged excessive lead content, had stated that it would continue with the existing formula of the product and would not change the ingredients.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry had also filed a class action suit against Nestle India seeking about Rs 640 crore in damages for alleged unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered testing of around 13 samples of Maggi noodles at the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysuru to determine if they contained any lead and monosodium glutamate.

The 13 samples are from seven separate batches. The court asked the central laboratory to complete the test within four weeks only if possible, reported PTI.

The order came soon after Nestle agreed for testing its Maggi noodles samples only in a government-accredited laboratory.

Nestle India Ltd told the court that permissible amount of natural monosodium glutamate will be found in the samples but there will be no added MSG in its products.

The court added that the lab will test both the noodles and the taste-maker inside the packet separately.

The court was hearing a class action suit filed by the centre, seeking damages worth Rs. 640 crore, after tests conducted by some States found more-than-acceptable levels of lead in Maggi noodles.

The government had brought 25 samples of Maggi products, out of which only 13 will be sent to the Mysuru lab. Nestle said rest of the samples were either damaged or duplicate.

Nestle SA could start making Maggi noodles again in India as early as October, it said on Wednesday, paving the way for the snack to go back on sale by the end of the year, reported Reuters.

In May, Nestle made news for the worst packaged food scare in a decade, when local regulators reported some packets of the popular noodles, sold at roadside stalls across India, contained unsafe levels of lead.

The company had to order a recall of the product a month later, which cost it about 66 million Swiss francs ($67.42 million).

But in August, an Indian court ruled in favour of Nestle in its battle to overturn a nationwide ban on the noodles, although the popular snack will have to undergo more safety tests before it can go on sale again.

The court also questioned testing standards at the country's food watchdog, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

"The comeback of Maggi is clearly at the top of our agenda. This is a fourth of our business," Suresh Narayanan, the newly appointed head of Nestle's Indian operations, said.

Nestle is now awaiting the results of fresh tests at court-appointed laboratories, expected by early October, after which it can begin manufacturing.

And after yet more tests, sales can restart.

"I don't have a magic wand," Narayanan said, declining to give a date at which Maggi noodles will regain their position in the Indian market. "It is going to be a climb up."

Nestle India slipped to a second-quarter loss after the noodle recall.

Narayanan now plans a 24/7 consumer helpline, more active engagement on social media and a revitalisation of what he described as "an organisation in agony."

He will also need to restore links with hundreds of thousands of suppliers and the owners of almost 4 million stores across India, he said.

Narayanan, the first Indian-born head of Nestle India in 16 years, also said the company would engage more actively with regulators in the country that represents less than 2 percent of sales now, but has huge potential.

He said the company would also work with industry rivals to enhance government testing processes and capabilities, adding talks were already underway.

"It could be common investments, it could be laboratories that will be set up with some kind of funding. It could be training," he said.

Amitabh Bachchan  has sought dismissal of a complaint against him by a consumer rights' activist for promoting Maggi noodles, banned in some states in the wake of detection of high levels of MSG and lead, saying it was "completely infructuous.”

In his affidavit filed before Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission through his counsel, the superstar said he had agreed to promote the noodles and variants under the brand name Maggi only from June 5, 2012 to September 5, 2013 when there was no complaint about its quality, reported PTI.

He submitted that complainant K Manavalan had failed to ascertain and verify the facts and without due cause had made him a party to the complaint with 'ulterior motive.' "The petition was liable to be dismissed”.

When the case came, Judicial member K Annamalai and member M Murugesan directed Manavalan to submit his reply on September 9, 2015 after he sought time to do so.

Manavalan, in his petition, pointed out that the Madurai bench of state Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had issued notices to seven persons, including Chairman-cum- Managing Director of Nestle India Ltd, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta and the Commissioner of Food Safety (Chennai).

It had also directed the designated officer of the Deputy Director of Health Services, Madurai, to lift at random samples of Maggi noodles with tastemaker from different shops and to test them at the appropriate laboratory, he said.

The bench had directed the officer to file a test report along with opposite parties' opinion on safety of consuming Maggi noodles.

"Prima facie case made out in the complaint. Considering the seriousness of the allegations pertaining to the health and public safety of the consumers, we are inclined to grant the relief sought for by the petitioner," the Commission had said. The petitioner had also sought the forum's directions to Nestle India not to distribute Maggi noodles and to withdraw it from sale, saying it was in violation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Manavalan had sought a direction from the forum to the actors not to promote the product through advertisements containing 'false representations' about the quality and safety of the product.

In a major boost to Nestle India, FSSAI-approved laboratory of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has found Maggi noodles to be in compliance with the country's food safety standards, reported PTI.

CFTRI had tested five samples sent by Goa Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when Maggi was banned in June in the wake of findings in Uttar Pradesh and other states that the instant noodles brand had lead levels beyond permissible limits.

"CFTRI finding shows that samples are in compliance with the food safety standards as per the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011," Goa FDA Director Salim A Veljee told PTI.

Goa FDA had sent the Maggi noodles samples to Mysore-based CFTRI for retesting of the safety of instant noodles after FSSAI expressed apprehensions on state FDA's initial report, which had found lead within permissible limits.

In June this year, Nestle had to take Maggi off the shelves, after few states decided to ban the noodles. FSSAI had also banned Maggi instant noodles terming them "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.

FSSAI had also said that Nestle violated labelling regulations on taste enhancer 'MSG' and ordered company to submit compliance report on its orders.

Meanwhile, Nestle India's new chief Suresh Narayanan had said that bringing the instant noodles brand back to the market is his top priority as he sought to strike a conciliatory note with authorities.

The manufacturer of Maggi instant noodles, Nestle India, today again told the Bombay High Court that it was ready for an independent lab testing of the product provided the tests were carried out in the presence of a reputed scientist, reported PTI.

The division bench of Justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawala, while hearing Nestle's petition against the 5th June order of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banning nine variants of Maggi, today asked whether the company was ready for fresh independent tests.

Iqbal Chhagla, Nestle's lawyer said that the company was satisfied but the tests should be conducted in the presence of a renowned scientist and the samples available with the company should be used.

Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration, Darius Khambata and the FSSAI counsel sought time till tomorrow to take instructions from their clients. Khambata also contended that one of the samples must be from the lot collected by state FDA.

The judges also said that they proposed to order independent testing of Maggi and sought the parties' views.

The Nestle lawyer alleged that FSSAI and FDA had not followed the principles of natural Justice by not giving a hearing to the company before banning Maggi on the ground of lead content in it being beyond the permissible limit.

Moreover, Chhagla said that only three variants were tested and the regulators prohibited all the nine variants of Maggi.

He further added that there was no substance in the allegation of FSSAI about the company destroying evidence by burning Maggi stock.

Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra, today argued in the Bombay High Court that Nestle India had burnt several tones of Maggi after the state's ban order was imposed on this food snack, instead of going in for a re-test of the samples, reported PTI.

"If the company was so confident about safe features of its product, it should have come forward and requested us to go for a re-test of the samples or it could have offered other samples for a fresh examination," FDA counsel Darius Khambata submitted before justices V M Kanade and B P Colabawala.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Nestle against FSSAI's on 5th June order banning nine variants of Maggi and Maharashtra government's order prohibiting their sale.

20 samples of Maggi were selected at random by FDA for the test and five of them tested positive for containing lead beyond permissible limit. This was enough for FDA to issue notice to stop production and sale of all the nine variants of Maggi, Khambata said.

He further argued that if the company suspected that the FDA reports were not correct then it could have made a complaint before the food regulator to send the samples to an accredited lab in Pune or Nagpur, instead of rushing to the high court to challenge the ban imposed on production and sale of the product.

"Instead, Nestle chose to send samples to labs in London, New York and Paris and placed 2700 test reports before us (FDA) to show that lead content was proper," he said. FDA counsel also rightly said on the ban that after tests when FDA found lead content in Maggi to be beyond permissible limit, it issued an order banning the product.

Additionally, FDA had sent lab test reports to Nestle but the company has not included these in the petition, thereby suppressing this fact from the high court, he said.

FSSAI and FDA both of them claimed that they had issued notices to Nestle India keeping in mind the health hazards that the product may have had due to the high lead content.  

Nestle India, which reported of destroying magi noodles over safety issues has paid Rs 20 crore to Ambuja Cements for crashing the noodle packets.

Ambuja Cements, formerly known as Gujarat Ambuja Cements, is believed to have been paid the amount for burning the recalled packets of Maggi noodles at its cement plant in Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

According to a Nestle Spokesperson, "Gujarat Ambuja Cements is helping us to destroy the Maggi noodles being withdrawn by us from the market."

While the spokesperson did not confirm the cost involved in burning Maggi at Ambuja Cements plant, he said: "In addition to the value of stocks being destroyed there will be additional costs to take into account, for example bringing back stock from the market, transporting the stock to the destruction points and destruction cost etc."

Nestle India said that these costs and other unforeseen costs associated with the withdrawal will be dealt with in line with the applicable accounting standards at the time of announcing the financial results on the due dates.

Last month, Nestle India said it is in the process of destroying Maggi instant noodles worth Rs 320 crore after it was banned by the central food safety regulator FSSAI due to presence of lead and taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) beyond permissible limits.

On June 5, FSSAI banned Maggi directing Nestle to immediately withdraw and recall all nine variants of Maggi instant noodles from market. Nestle India has also recalled the product from the market.

Nestle India has challenged the ban order in the Bombay High Court.

Mizoram government has sent samples of Maggi instant noodles from the state to the Assam Public Health Laboratory in Guwahati, a senior state health department official said to PTI.

Joint Director (Food and Drugs Administration) Lalsawma told that the samples were sent yesterday as Mizoram does not have testing facilities to determine food safety.

Lalsawma said that the laboratory would send its report and findings to the Mizoram health department which would be submitted to the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).

Though the state government did not ban the Nestle product, the company continued recalling its product from the state.

He said that the recalling process progressed well but recalling all the products from all the remote villages took time.

Assam government which earlier banned the Maggi noodles in the state has today announced a ban on Wai-Wai noodles for 30 days with immediate effect, following MSG content in the noodle.

According to an official release, the government issued a notification today under Section 30(2) (a) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and prohibited the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of Wai-Wai 1-2-3 Noodles (mini) and Wai-Wai mini Ready to eat Noodles by CG Foods.

The government declared it unsafe and banned it for a period of 30 days initially with immediate effect, it said.

"The samples of both the noodles have tested positive for monosodium glutamate, which is prohibited for use as additive in pastas and noodles as per Regulations 3.1.11.1 of Food Safety & Standards (Food Products Standard and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011," the release stated.

Meanwhile, three samples of Ching's Secret, one of the larger packaged foods in Chinese category were found to be sub-standard by the Indore's Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The state FDA has also initiated a prosecution against the manufacturer for selling products that were found with hazardous chemicals.

"We have taken three samples recently, which were first found mis-branded. We issued a notice to the manufacturer giving 30 days to get the test done at any other lab,” shared, Manish Swami, Food safety officer, FDA Indore.

According to Swami, the food samples contained sodium bi-carbonate and guar gum that are not allowed to use in noodles as per FSSAI norms.