The city’s favourite Maggi joints are hopeful of the product’s comeback while other brands have stepped in to fill in the portions, finds out Rupinder Kaur
The memes have started doing rounds on social media for a good chuckle even for those who’ve gained much fame over the years by selling the ubiquitous instant Maggi noodles fused with multiple concoctions. It’s around 11-scorching-am and Sandeep Kataria (of Delhi University’s famed Tom Uncle Maggi Point) along with his crew are bringing in the ingredients, some classified and some we figured, for the 47 Maggi noodles variants which his menu lists. With chopping boards, set of culinary knives, large sieves, the workstation suddenly gets going. It’s like business as usual. But the only difference is that noodles by other brands have replaced Nestle. Different packs are now shining bright on the counter which claim to have passed ‘nurtitional tests’.
“The recipe remains the same; it’s only the noodles that have changed. Now there is a shortage of noodles of other brands in the market as their sales shot up immediately,” Sandeep tells us. He says he’ll start working on alternate dishes only if there is a permanent ban on Nestle’s noodles, which according to him will be revoked in coming days.
“Maggi has been given a clean chit in Goa and Maharashtra. Nestle, too, claimed that the samples which were tested had crossed the expiration date. It’s such a big brand, I’m sure this will be sorted within 10-15 days,” he says reposing faith in the brand. It’s off-season too, Sandeep adds, while calling for new menu banners to be out in front of the stall. The lull in business during these days is something they are used too every year. “These are slow days as its DU’s vacation time. Once the new session begins, everything will be back on track.”
ITC, the parent company of Sunfeast Yippee noodles, have already claimed to pass the crucial lead test. Many students and civil service aspirants inhabiting the north campus area have switched to Maggi rivals. “Maggi was a quick fix meal for me at any point of the day when the hunger pangs struck. Now I have to switch my loyalty to some other brand’s noodles,” says IAS aspirant Somya Singh.
Sandeep’s brother Gagan runs another branch of their late father’s venture, which began in 1978, in Hudson line. The shop in its initial years only served cool drinks to beat the heat during summer months, Maggi was introduced after 1995. Gagan, too, feels the ban is temporary. “We were in talks with Nestle people and they informed us that Maggi stock will be cleared. They’ll take it off the shelves today and replace it in a few weeks. The same has happened before with many soft drinks, chocolate brands. Chowmein, too, has such high level of ajinomoto which can be harmful, but people haven’t stopped eating it, so why thisIJ I give it 15 days,” he asserts.
The sale for the steaming bowl of noodles might have dipped but he tells us that there are many who still demand it, “We have to say no to them for precautionary reasons. Pasta is the next most popular dish nowadays,” he explains. What seems uncanny is the fact that pasta being served is from the same brand facing the health officials’ wrath.
Anil Chopra, owner of another frequented Maggi joint in the same lane, questions the timing of this ban. He says, “There is no problem with the product. It’s been sold for many years, why didn’t any such issue crop up beforeIJ It is to be blamed on the nexus between the Government and company officials. Once their issues are resolved, the product will be cleared and will be back in the market.”
photos Sanjeev Kumar