Nestle all set to re-launch Maggi with fresh ad blitz

Four months after Nestle was forced to withdraw its two-minute wonder snack 'Maggi' from Indian market, the world's largest food company is now all set to re-launch its instant noodles brand after Gujarat and Karnataka also lifting the ban on its sales.

'Maggi' also cleared all mandated tests by the Bombay High Court that had lifted a nationwide ban on the noodles brand in August.

Nestle will be making a fresh marketing blitz with new Maggi commercials and has increased spending on television commercials.

Several states in the country had already lifted the ban following the Bombay High Court ruling.

Setting the ground for the re-launch, Maggi cleared all its mandated tests by the Bombay High Court that had lifted a nationwide ban on the noodles brand in August.

Nestle had toned down its advertisements after Maggi lost precious space in retail stores and with consumer denied access to the product.

In fact, Nestle has had not much to advertise after the food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banning Maggi in early June over excess lead content and a misleading ad that claimed Maggi is free of tastemaker MSG.

The announcement by the governments of Gujarat and Karnataka lifting ban on the manufacture and sale of Maggi noodles has come as a fresh lease of life for the ailing snack food.

Last week, Nestle India confirmed that all 90 samples of Maggi cleared tests conducted by three laboratories, as mandated by the Bombay High Court. The company is now planning to relaunch the product soon.

A few days ago, the front page of a leading newspaper showed off an advertisement that went on to reassure its fans that they will be able to eat their favourite noodles soon.

The company also assured consumers that all the manufactured products from the new lot will undergo fresh tests at the three testing labs of National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in Mohali, Jaipur and Hyderabad to confirm lead levels before being available in the market.

In the past few months, Nestle has conducted around 3,500 tests with 200 million packs in national and international accredited laboratories and all reports have been found to be clear.

Tests have also been conducted in other countries like the US, Britain, Australia and Singapore that found Maggi noodles manufactured in India safe for human consumption.