Curated By: Business Desk
Last Updated: September 06, 2023, 12:04 IST
The roots of Maggi can be traced back to Switzerland’s Industrial Revolution.
In 1897, Julius Maggi began producing foods that could be prepared quickly so that women could save time for cooking.
If asked to name a quick snack that can be made and eaten quickly even in a hurry or while travelling, the majority of Indians are sure to mention Maggi noodles. Maggi noodles are loved and cherished all over the country and appeal to every age group. There are many instant noodles brands available in India but Maggi always tops the list. So much so that it even survived a temporary ban back in 2015 after some tests found a high concentration of lead in it and it was taken off shelves. But the Nestle product was soon back, with a bang.
In 1983, the year India won the cricket World Cup for the first time, Maggi instant noodles were introduced in the country, and they quickly captured the attention of the populace. Maggi’s “two-minute noodles” advertisement campaign on state television proved to be a huge success. Have you ever given a thought to what the origin of this highly popular noodles brand is?
Unlike most other food products, Maggi was a result of compulsion and not expansion. Its roots can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution in Switzerland. Women in the country were employed in mills at that time but that took a toll on their household chores like preparing supper for the family. The women had very little time to make food at home. It was then that the Swiss Public Welfare Society approached Julius Michael Johannes Maggii, a Swiss entrepreneur.
In 1872, Julius Maggi started selling products made of flour but this venture only turned out to be a moderate success. After that, in 1897, he began producing foods that could be prepared quickly so that women could save time for cooking. This was how Maggi got going. In 1897, Maggi noodles were initially made available in Germany. Julius named the brand after his own surname.
By 1912, Maggi was adopted by people of many countries like the USA and France. However, Julius’ death in the same year caused the brand to temporarily suffer and decline in goodwill. The business progressed slowly until renowned company Nestle bought the brand in 1947. They rebranded and remarketed the Maggi brand while retaining its name and the noodles once again re-attained its popularity. Nestle India Limited brought Maggi to India in 1984 and it has been every Indian’s first choice for instant noodles since then.