Swiss food and beverages major Nestle SA sees a lot of headroom to grow its noodles business in India, its largest market globally for Maggi, with further opportunities to expand and gain market share, global CEO Philipp Navratil said on Thursday.
The company, which sells noodles under the Maggi brand in India and other Asian markets, also has ambitious plans to expand the category in Europe and the Americas, its top leadership said during the earnings call for the September quarter of 2026.
Nestle sees room to grow Maggi noodles business in India
It already has a “well-established base” in the AOA (Asia, Oceania and Africa) zone, which includes India, but has considerable headroom for further growth through increased category penetration and market share gains, Navratil said.
“With noodles, it’s a bit the other way around. We have a well-established base in Zone AOA, especially India, Malaysia and Singapore. And we have lots of headroom to grow here – driving further category penetration and market share,” he said.
Company plans expansion in Europe and Americas
Navratil said he is also excited about opportunities beyond Asia.
“We have ambitious expansion plans in Europe and the Americas, built on clear consumer insights. Noodles is an attractive category, as consumers increasingly move between traditional meals and smaller, convenient eating occasions,” he added.
With over 5.7 billion servings, India maintained its position as the “largest market for Maggi globally”, with Maggi noodles maintaining market leadership in the country, according to the company’s FY26 annual report.
India drives growth for Nestle's AOA zone
Nestle SA reported total sales of 22.8 billion Swiss francs (CHF) in the September quarter of 2026, with organic growth of 4 per cent, driven by 2.8 per cent real internal growth (RIG) and 1.1 per cent pricing.
In this, Nestle's Zone AOA continued to deliver strong growth momentum during the September quarter, with India emerging as one of the key contributors.
Anna Manz, Chief Financial Officer of Nestle SA, said India recorded 20 per cent organic growth during the quarter, while the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Japan, and Malaysia and Singapore also reported double-digit growth.
"Momentum in AOA continued. India delivered 20 per cent OG(organic growth) , and we had double-digit growth in Middle East & North Africa, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore," Manz said.
Nestle India reports 35.81 per cent profit growth
Last week, Nestle India reported a 35.81 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,009.61 crore for the September quarter of FY27, led by double-digit volume growth.
Revenue from sale of products rose 20.45 per cent to Rs 6,782.17 crore in the September quarter.
Nestle India has a presence across categories such as noodles, dairy products, confectionery, coffee and nutrition, with Maggi noodles among its key consumer brands.