Noodles sales sizzle

Sohel Parvez

The noodles business is heating up as more and more households are opting for it as convenient snacks for home, school tiffin and guests.

“We are witnessing rising demand. Our product is popular among children and family members alike,” said Shammi Rubayet Karim, marketing manager (culinary), Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, manufacturer of the leading instant noodles brand Maggi in Bangladesh.

Parents often add various ingredients, such as egg, vegetables or meat, to vary the taste and make it more nutritious for school children.

Reasonably priced and easy to prepare, the food item registers increased growth every year.

“It (noodles) offers mothers scope to make it more tasty by adding different ingredients. It is healthy and convenient to prepare, serve and eat," said Karim, explaining the reasons behind rising demand.

Sector people said the market for noodles has been growing by more than 10 percent a year for the last couple of years, which encourages existing operators to expand operations and attracts new entrants.

The Tk 100 crore market for noodles is divided into two categories -- instant and stick. Nestle Bangladesh Ltd is the market leader in instant noodles while Cocola Food Products Ltd shines in the stick segment.

A decade or more ago, demand for noodles was low.

"Initially, popularising the food item was a challenge as consumers were not habituated to the taste. But now the market is growing due to the quality of our product as well as increased communication among consumers,” said the Nestle official.

Earlier this week, Nestle Bangladesh, a subsidiary of Swiss nutrition, health and wellness company Nestle SA, unveiled its second production unit to increase the production of the 'Maggi' instant noodles to catch up with rising demand.

Md Sanuar Hossain, area sales manager of Cocola Food Products Ltd, linked growth mainly to prices.

“Once, noodles were consumed mainly by upmarket consumers. Now many people like the food as prices are reasonable,” he said. “By spending up to Tk 15, two people can enjoy a light snack.”

“It's tasty, nutritious and easy to prepare within a short time,” he said, adding demand for noodles has been growing fast for the last two to three years. “We are recording excellent growth in the current year."

Insiders said Dhaka and Chittagong account for most sales. But demand in other cities and towns, especially in areas where households have gas connections, is also quite high.

“Noodles are now consumed by many health-conscious people, especially job holders, as an afternoon meal because it helps save time,” a senior official of Fu-Wang Foods Ltd said. The company began operations in the segment a couple of years ago.

“Market sentiments are very positive. We are receiving good responses from consumers."

sohel@thedailystar.net