The Maggi ban: How India’s favourite two-minute noodles

lost 80% market share

In June 2015, Maggi was declared unsafe by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
after some of its samples were found to contain excessive Lead. In June 2015, Maggi was declared
unsafe by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) after some of its samples were
found to contain excessive lead. Several other brands were also taken off the shelves in its
aftermath the lead controversy.

Data Source Neilson

India is 5th when it comes to consumption of instant noodles

around the world

Figs: No. of packets (in mn) sold in one year

 Data sources: http://instantnoodles.org

According to the Mordor Intelligence report, the instant noodles industry in India has emerged as the
most attractive, witnessing 7.6% annual growth between 2010 and 2017, despite the ban on Maggi.

Size matters: The Growing Insta Noodle Market

Since Maggi's 2015 ban, some of the other brands, such as Top Ramen, Yippee, Ching's Secret, Knorr
Soupy Noodles and Wai-Wai, besides the recently-launched Patanjali Atta Noodles, have gained some
market share, but are still light-years away from the market leader. Patanjali’s is the fastest growing
brand in the instant noodles market.

The New Market Share

Nestlé, makers of India’s leading brand of instant noodles, though has recovered much ground - it
has a 60% market share as on August 17, it is still down from 73% before the ban over alleged lead
content and labelling.
The biggest winner, however, seems to be Sun feast Yippee! Which is now at 22% of the market, up

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 from 15% in May 2015, Hindustan Unilever's Knorr has risen to 2% from 0.6%, while Ching's Secrets
has grown to 1.9% from 0.7%. Patanjali's Atta Noodles, which was launched after the ban, has grown
to 1.3% in less than two years.

Several lesser known brands such as Joymee, Paam Eatables, Marwari noodles and others too have
gained over 2% market share of the Rs 4,000 crore noodle market.

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