SRK charges Rs 15 crore, Ronaldo Rs 25 crore. Modi did it for free for Parle Melody

New Delhi,UPDATED: May 20, 2026 16:19 IST

There was a time when the aroma of freshly baked Parle-G biscuits from the iconic factory in Mumbai's Vile Parle East drifted across the neighbourhood, from Koldongri and the Western Express Highway in the east to even Mithibai College in the western suburb. The factory has been long shut, but Parle's name is still around, not just in the suburb's name, but in all of India. Today, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed Italian PM Giorgia Meloni a bag of Parle Melody toffees, playfully nodding to their viral "Melodi" nickname, Parle's name went global, suddenly.

At that moment of diplomacy, the Indian toffee and the brand got free marketing on a global stage that money can't buy. From two heads of government with combined followers of over 210 million on Twitter (now X) and Instagram.

Parle's story reads like a desi version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It had humble beginnings. And its golden ticket was the Parle-G glucose biscuits. Founded in 1929 by Mohanlal Chauhan in Vile Parle, Mumbai, the company started with confectionery before launching Parle Gluco, which later became Parle-G in 1939. It grew into a biscuit and candy powerhouse, becoming the world's best-selling biscuit brand by volume.

In the 1970s, the Chauhan family split the business among branches, creating three distinct private entities that still carry the Parle name but operate independently. The first one is Parle Products, the biscuit and confectionery giant that also manufactures Melody toffees. Apart from Parle-G, it also manufactures popular biscuits like Monaco, Krackjack, and Hide & Seek.

It must be noted that Parle-G biscuits are so iconic that during the Covid-19 lockdown, they became an ultimate survival staple. Its low price, Rs 5 for a small pack, and its long shelf life made Parle-G ideal for pantry stocking. Migrant workers relied on it during long journeys home on foot, while government agencies and NGOs distributed millions of packets as relief food.

Then there is Parle Agro, which focusses on beverages like Frooti and Appy, and there is Parle Bisleri, the bottled water powerhouse.

Today, Parle Products, the Melody owner, is the one that couldn't dream up a better PR coup. In an era where influencers and film stars command crores for endorsements, two world leaders have spotlighted the toffee for free. Parle Products Vice President and CMO Mayank Shah noted, it was a "nice way of pushing Indian products and giving a global stage", expressing gratitude for the unintended boost.

He told India Today TV that the toffee's demand might surge in the coming days, but the brand will stick to keeping you guessing, "Melody itni chocolaty kyun hai?"

After Modi handed a bag of Melody toffees to Meloni, a separate listed entity, Parle Industries Ltd, that is unrelated to the main consumer business, saw its shares hit the upper circuit on the news.

CULT STATUS NOW A SYMBOL OF SWEET DIPLOMACY

Melody itself is no stranger to cult status.

That chewy caramel exterior hiding a chocolate centre has delighted generations since the 1980s.

Modi's gift to Meloni has made this neighbourhood favourite into an international star. Meloni herself posted a video praising the toffee, and then came a tsunami of hashgtag Meloni memes.

For Parle Products, this was marketing gold.

Traditional campaigns cost a fortune. Here, diplomacy did the heavy lifting for marketing.

It must be noted that ad commercials by mega stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan come at a hefty price of Rs 5–15 crore per campaign, while global icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo charge anywhere from Rs 100–200 crore for a major commercial. A single Instagram post by such stars costs tens of crores.

For a heritage brand like Parle Products, two world leaders, through a single diplomatic gesture, have given the humble toffee global visibility that money cannot buy.

The brand already reaches more than 100 countries, but this moment has amplified visibility among new audiences in Europe and beyond.

It's the kind of soft-power win that has taken Indian entrepreneurship, rooted in Vile Parle's streets, global.

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