NEW DELHI: In the wake of government’s stance of banning Maggi noodles in the Indian capital, food group Nestle has withdrawn its brand of instant noodles from sale in India.
The company reiterated that the noodles were safe. But after coming under fire in local media for doing too little, too late in response, the group said early on Friday that it would recall the product regardless, weeks after food inspectors first reported their findings.
In India’s most significant packaged foods scare for nearly a decade, at least six states have banned Maggi noodles after tests revealed some packets contained excess amounts of lead. On Thursday, Tamil Nadu became the first state to ban several brands of instant noodles, including Nestle.
“The trust of our consumers and the safety of our products is our first priority,” Nestle said in a statement. “Unfortunately, recent developments and unfounded concerns about the product have led to an environment of confusion for the consumer, to such an extent that we have decided to withdraw the product off the shelves, despite the product being safe.”
Sales of Maggi noodles in India represent a tiny fraction of Nestle’s company-wide revenue of almost 92 billion Swiss francs ($98.6 billion). But the importance of containing damage to the brand has not been lost on the Switzerland-based firm, whose group chief executive Paul Bulcke will speak later on Friday in New Delhi to seek to draw a line under the scare.
Nestle India had said earlier this week it had conducted internal and external tests of 125 million Maggi packets which showed “lead levels are well within the limits specified by food regulations and that Maggi noodles are safe to eat”.
Maggi noodles, which sell at roughly a dozen rupees ($0.20) per single-serving packet, are a hugely popular snack in India, served to children and in roadside shacks across the country. Maggi has been a market leader for three decades.
