I am pleased over the row over Maggi Noodles that has broken out across the country; and continues to escalate even as we write this. I've always been baffled at how just about everyone eat this on a regular basis, and was increasingly becoming disconcerted over how ubiquitous it had become. I see people ordering it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Maggi had become a generic word for a quick one-time meal.
The fact is that Nestle, a $100 billion corporation, has done very little innovation (by its on admission) over the years to improve its products and make it more healthier. Which is quite surprising considering people's awareness levels and health-consciousness has increased significantly over the years. Maggi was introduced in 1983, and it remains virtually unchanged 32 years later, except for the relatively recent addition of few variants like atta or oats. If you compare Nestle's product portfolios over the last 3 decades with that of other food companies - like Hindustan Unilever or Britannia - it has changed very little. It is quite saddening when it could've easily put some effort into using technology to come up with more healthier packaged food items, and experiment with indigenous options. (Like MTR's upma which is available for Rs.10). Instead, all it did was hire celebrities, and get them to scream "MAGGIIII !" in their advertisements. Today it sells Rs.1,500 crore of Maggi noodles, annually, in India.
And people are also to be blamed. The vast population of people had taken to Maggi on the basis of its two main propositions - time-saving and cost. With people becoming increasing time-starved, the perception of Maggi had gradually transformed from that of an occasional treat, to a reasonable option for a quick meal. For most, the 2-minute guarantee was hard to resist. Especially for bachelors, students living in hostels - just about everyone looking for a quick, easy-to-cook meal, it was top-of mind option. A large section of children in the lower income groups, are regular consumers, with their mothers feeding it to them, because they have no time, and also because of affordability (Rs.12). There was recently a report on how the mental faculties of young children in urban areas, had dropped considerably after prolonged consumption. Recent news articles as a result of this controversy revealed how ubiquitous it had become. It is everywhere - from office cafeterias to roadside vendors - even in army canteens. Farmers eat this during harvesting season - to save time.
Nestle too has been responsible for this change in perception. It hired marketers to shift the brand's positioning from taste to health, as it extended the brand into other products and introduced variants of Maggi noodles.
In its reaction to this controversy, it is content enough to state that its is 'safe' - not 'good', just 'safe'. Meaning it wont kill you immediately, but it will eventually. CSR does not mean launching projects to provide nutritional needs of a small section of rural people, while continuing to feed junk to 99% of population.
This whole row will urge people corporations to innovate in producing healthier food items. I hope people will take a closer look at nutrional aspects of packaged foods, and above all trash this piece of junk (Maggi noodles). Also, it issue prods to a a larger debate of food contamination. If lead residues were found in Maggi noodles, it is bound to there in all farm produce apart form packaged foods. We need to stop contamination our water, soil and air, and shift to organic methods of farming.
The fact is that Nestle, a $100 billion corporation, has done very little innovation (by its on admission) over the years to improve its products and make it more healthier. Which is quite surprising considering people's awareness levels and health-consciousness has increased significantly over the years. Maggi was introduced in 1983, and it remains virtually unchanged 32 years later, except for the relatively recent addition of few variants like atta or oats. If you compare Nestle's product portfolios over the last 3 decades with that of other food companies - like Hindustan Unilever or Britannia - it has changed very little. It is quite saddening when it could've easily put some effort into using technology to come up with more healthier packaged food items, and experiment with indigenous options. (Like MTR's upma which is available for Rs.10). Instead, all it did was hire celebrities, and get them to scream "MAGGIIII !" in their advertisements. Today it sells Rs.1,500 crore of Maggi noodles, annually, in India.
And people are also to be blamed. The vast population of people had taken to Maggi on the basis of its two main propositions - time-saving and cost. With people becoming increasing time-starved, the perception of Maggi had gradually transformed from that of an occasional treat, to a reasonable option for a quick meal. For most, the 2-minute guarantee was hard to resist. Especially for bachelors, students living in hostels - just about everyone looking for a quick, easy-to-cook meal, it was top-of mind option. A large section of children in the lower income groups, are regular consumers, with their mothers feeding it to them, because they have no time, and also because of affordability (Rs.12). There was recently a report on how the mental faculties of young children in urban areas, had dropped considerably after prolonged consumption. Recent news articles as a result of this controversy revealed how ubiquitous it had become. It is everywhere - from office cafeterias to roadside vendors - even in army canteens. Farmers eat this during harvesting season - to save time.
Nestle too has been responsible for this change in perception. It hired marketers to shift the brand's positioning from taste to health, as it extended the brand into other products and introduced variants of Maggi noodles.
In its reaction to this controversy, it is content enough to state that its is 'safe' - not 'good', just 'safe'. Meaning it wont kill you immediately, but it will eventually. CSR does not mean launching projects to provide nutritional needs of a small section of rural people, while continuing to feed junk to 99% of population.
This whole row will urge people corporations to innovate in producing healthier food items. I hope people will take a closer look at nutrional aspects of packaged foods, and above all trash this piece of junk (Maggi noodles). Also, it issue prods to a a larger debate of food contamination. If lead residues were found in Maggi noodles, it is bound to there in all farm produce apart form packaged foods. We need to stop contamination our water, soil and air, and shift to organic methods of farming.
