A small packet of toffee made a big diplomatic moment on Thursday when to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Italy. The gesture quickly caught attention online, especially because of the popular nickname often used for the two leaders — ‘Melodi’, a mix of Modi and Meloni.
For Parle Products, the company behind Melody, the moment came completely out of the blue.
Speaking to India Today, Mayank Shah, Vice President at Parle Products, said, “We had no information. We’re completely taken by surprise, pleasantly surprised.” He added, “We can’t thank enough our honourable Prime Minister for giving this brand a global stage.”
The spotlight appears to have already helped the brand.
According to Shah, Melody has witnessed a rise in online traction since news of the gift began circulating.
“There has been a lot of traction seen on quick commerce and other platforms since morning,” he said. “We expect growth to accelerate.”
He added that Melody is already India’s largest-selling toffee brand and believes the latest attention could push growth further, not just in India but overseas too.
“It’s the largest toffee brand of India. Given the global stage, you would see growth happening across the globe,” Shah said.
Melody is already sold internationally, with Parle exporting the toffee to more than 200 countries.
“We already export it,” Shah said, adding that the current moment could create stronger global demand. “This is a great opportunity to see a lot more traction there as well.”
Looking ahead, the company may also explore manufacturing Melody in overseas markets.
“We have manufacturing locations across the globe. Ideally, this would be a great opportunity to start our own production in those countries for this product,” he said.
Despite expectations of a demand jump, Shah said consumers should not worry about paying more for their favourite toffee.
“I don’t think we are going to take up the prices,” he said. “But yes, you will see a huge spike in demand, and we’ve already seen that since morning.”
Asked about product innovation, Shah suggested the company plans to keep Melody close to its original identity.
“Melody is all about being chocolatey,” he said. “It’s a classic brand and we will continue to keep it the way it is.”
Referring to the iconic slogan, Shah added with a smile: “ ‘Melody khao, khud jaan jao’. This is a brand loved across generations — Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z.”
On recurring speculation around Parle Products going public, Shah ruled out any immediate plans.
“Currently there are no plans on cards,” he said. “We continue exploring growth opportunities, but listing is not on our cards right now.”
For now, though, Parle seems happy enjoying an unexpected moment in the global spotlight — all thanks to a familiar chocolatey toffee that many Indians grew up eating.