Nirmal Mangar and Vivek Chhetri
June 5: Maggi has instantly hit the noodle market in the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim where Wai Wai and Mama, two noodles, which are a hit with the locals and tourists alike, finding few takers.
Wai Wai and Mama, products of C Food India Pvt Ltd, are the preferred instant noodles over Maggi in the region Even though the local authorities have not yet issued any directive on the sale of Wai Wai and Mama, their sales have drastically come down.
Darjeeling municipality has issued a directive against the sale of Maggi, which is manufactured by Nestle, in the hill town. However, there is no such directive on the sale of Wai Wai and Mama.
Sikkim government, which has not yet banned the sale of any instant noodle as of now, has sent samples of Wai Wai, Maggi and Mama for analysis at the Regional Research Laboratory in Guwahati.
Bimal Jhawar, distributor of Wai Wai and Maggi in Darjeeling and Siliguri, today said: "We source our products from the factories in Rangpo (Sikkim), Guwahati and Purnea in Bihar. Everyday, about 10,000 packets of Wai Wai and about 3 lakh packets in a month are sold in Darjeeling and Kurseong alone. However, sales have been down by around 60 per cent for the past few days."
The sales figure for Kalimpong would be about 1.5 lakh packets of Wai Wai in a month.
Similarly, about 6 to 10 lakh packets of Mama are sold in the hills in a month.
"I think the problem is with the white noodles. Even though Wai Wai and Mama are brown noodles, our sales have been hit hard," said Jhawar.
Jhawar said the consumption of Wai-Wai and Mama was twice the figures he had given as the two products were smuggled from Nepal. "A large amount of smuggled Wai Wai and Mama also floods the region," said Jhawar.
C Food India Pvt Ltd has 11 factories in India and one in Nepal.
The popularity of Wai Wai and Mama in the hills is to be seen to be believed. "Almost every eatery in the Darjeeling-Sikkim area serves Wai Wai and Mama as it is not only delicious but quick to prepare," said Jhawar.
A packet of Wai Wai comes for Rs 10, while Mama costs Re 1.
The Darjeeling municipality has said that it would impose a fine of Rs 5,000 if anyone is found selling Maggi.
The Sikkim government has sent samples of Wai Wai, Maggi and Mama for analysis.
"The samples were sent yesterday after the contain of disproportionate lead content in Maggi noodles appeared on electronic and print media. It is just to find the content of monosodium glutamate in these noodles," said a senior government official.
GR Ghimirey, general manager of Wai Wai unit at Rangpo, Sikim, said 30,000 packets of Wai Wai and 400 cartoons of Mama were manufactured in the factory every day. The factory was set up in 2006.
"We don't use lead in our products and the use of monosodium glutamate content depends on the quantity of the noodles" said Ghimirey.
Source: Telegraph
June 5: Maggi has instantly hit the noodle market in the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim where Wai Wai and Mama, two noodles, which are a hit with the locals and tourists alike, finding few takers.
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| Wai Wai and Maggi sales down in Darjeeling hills and Sikkim |
Darjeeling municipality has issued a directive against the sale of Maggi, which is manufactured by Nestle, in the hill town. However, there is no such directive on the sale of Wai Wai and Mama.
Sikkim government, which has not yet banned the sale of any instant noodle as of now, has sent samples of Wai Wai, Maggi and Mama for analysis at the Regional Research Laboratory in Guwahati.
Bimal Jhawar, distributor of Wai Wai and Maggi in Darjeeling and Siliguri, today said: "We source our products from the factories in Rangpo (Sikkim), Guwahati and Purnea in Bihar. Everyday, about 10,000 packets of Wai Wai and about 3 lakh packets in a month are sold in Darjeeling and Kurseong alone. However, sales have been down by around 60 per cent for the past few days."
The sales figure for Kalimpong would be about 1.5 lakh packets of Wai Wai in a month.
Similarly, about 6 to 10 lakh packets of Mama are sold in the hills in a month.
"I think the problem is with the white noodles. Even though Wai Wai and Mama are brown noodles, our sales have been hit hard," said Jhawar.
Jhawar said the consumption of Wai-Wai and Mama was twice the figures he had given as the two products were smuggled from Nepal. "A large amount of smuggled Wai Wai and Mama also floods the region," said Jhawar.
C Food India Pvt Ltd has 11 factories in India and one in Nepal.
The popularity of Wai Wai and Mama in the hills is to be seen to be believed. "Almost every eatery in the Darjeeling-Sikkim area serves Wai Wai and Mama as it is not only delicious but quick to prepare," said Jhawar.
A packet of Wai Wai comes for Rs 10, while Mama costs Re 1.
The Darjeeling municipality has said that it would impose a fine of Rs 5,000 if anyone is found selling Maggi.
The Sikkim government has sent samples of Wai Wai, Maggi and Mama for analysis.
"The samples were sent yesterday after the contain of disproportionate lead content in Maggi noodles appeared on electronic and print media. It is just to find the content of monosodium glutamate in these noodles," said a senior government official.
GR Ghimirey, general manager of Wai Wai unit at Rangpo, Sikim, said 30,000 packets of Wai Wai and 400 cartoons of Mama were manufactured in the factory every day. The factory was set up in 2006.
"We don't use lead in our products and the use of monosodium glutamate content depends on the quantity of the noodles" said Ghimirey.
Source: Telegraph
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