Maggi ban in India to be a case study at Harvard Business School?

According to a report, the case of the Maggi ban in India could make it to the Harvard Business School for a case study.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The Indian government's ban on Maggi noodles in the country due to alleged high content of lead in the Nestle's product could make it to Harvard for a case study as per a report.

According to a report in the Economic Times, the case of the Maggi ban in India could make it to the Harvard Business School for a case study.

Food regulator Food Standar and Security Authority of India (FSSAI) had put a nationwide ban on the Maggi noodles on June 5 alleging high content of lead. A day earlier, Nestle India had withdrawn the products on reports of the content of lead over the permissible limit.

The food regulator had also cited mislabelling of monosodium glutamate (MSG) content and that the company had sold Maggi oat noodles without approval.

As per the report in the ET, the cast study by the Indian Research Centre of the HBS, which will be largely on the missteps that led to the withdrawal of the products, will be put on a fast-tract and could be completed in about a month.

It normally takes about nine months or more to complete such studies.

However, Nestle India is reported to have denied being approached for a case study.

“We have not been contacted by Harvard Business School,” a spokeperson of Nestle was quoted by the ET.

HBS also declined to comment on the case study.

The ET also quoted Brian Kenny, HBS chief marketing and communication officer as saying, “As a matter of policy and in fairness to the companies that work with us, we do not comment on cases until they are officially published and entered into the Harvard Business School case collection.”

However, ET claims that as per information available with it, HBS has approached key stakeholders and top food companies for their views on the issue.

Post the ban, Nestle said it incured a loss of Rs 320 crore due to the recall. Besides this, the government has also asked the Swiss company to pay a penalty of Rs 640 crore in damages.