Melody's Roman moment: Parle thanks PM for taking its toffee global

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gesture of gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during their meeting in Rome not only created a buzz on social media and triggered an enthusiastic response from Mumbai-based Parle Products, the company behind the iconic confectionery brand.

Soon after visuals and photographs from the meeting went viral online, Parle Products took to X to thank Modi for showcasing the popular Indian candy on the global stage.

“Thank you Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for taking Parle Melody to the global stage. A proud moment for all of us at Parle Products to see an Indian favourite being shared across borders,” the company said in a post from its official handle @ParleFamily.

Melody, one of India’s most recognisable toffee brands, is manufactured by Parle Products, the FMCG major known for household brands such as Parle-G, Monaco, KrackJack, Mango Bite and Poppins.

Describing the candy, the company says on its website: “Parle Melody brings to you an irresistible layer of caramel on the outside and a delightful chocolate filling inside.” The brand is also associated with its long-running advertising tagline, “Melody itni chocolaty kyun hai?”

Social media users quickly coined the term “Melodi” — combining the surnames Modi and Meloni — after the exchange of the toffees, with memes and posts flooding various platforms.

The phrase had earlier gained traction online in the context of the perceived camaraderie between the two leaders during international summits.

The buzz also spilled over to the stock market, where shares of Parle Industries rose nearly 5 per cent intraday to Rs 5.25 amid retail investor excitement. However, market observers pointed out that the listed Parle Industries has no connection with Melody toffees. Parle Products, the actual maker of Melody, remains a privately held and unlisted company, making the stock movement a classic case of mistaken corporate identity.