Wednesday, May 20, was a regular day at work for Mayank Pravinchandra Shah, Vice President at Parle Products, until it was not. At noon, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a 12-second video with PM Modi, showing the gift he got her from India -- packet of Melody toffees -- the chocolate-caramel candy made by Parle Products.
The sweet diplomacy took the internet by storm. Parle, the parent company of Melody, started trending on X (formerly Twitter). The candy went out of stock on quick-commerce apps. Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart all showed Melody as unavailable in several cities. Blinkit confirmed on Instagram that it was "seeing a sudden spike in Melody searches on the app."
Mayank Pravinchandra Shah was flooded with calls.
It must be an AI video, Shah would have thought for a second, but with the sudden rise in demand for the candy and news channels reporting the sweet gesture, he had "no reason not to believe it."
"... absolutely thrilled with what has happened," beaming with joy, Shah told NDTV. "It was a pleasant surprise that came this morning. In fact, it's a moment of immense pride for all of us at Parle Products."
When asked if he had Melody this morning to celebrate this sweet win for the brand, Shah chuckled and said, "lots of it."
"As a part of job, we continue consuming our products. We keep checking on them," he added.
Parle Thanks PM Modi For Promoting "Swadeshi Brands"
Parle Products saw a multi-fold rise in the search and purchase of Melody. E-commerce and quick commerce websites witnessed and showcased that impact immediately. However, what Parle noticed was different - a boost for indigenous brands.
"When PM Modi gives Parle Melody to world leaders, it's a powerful testament of the potential of Swadeshi brands on the global stage. Parle Melody is India's largest selling toffee brand. It is available in more than 100 countries today. What better way of furthering it on the global stage than this? We are deeply grateful to PM Modi for giving Indian brands this incredible recognition and visibility," Shah said.
Parle also shared the viral video on Instagram with a caption: "Sweetening relationships since 1983."
How Parle Products Plans To Scale Up Melody Globally
Shah said the idea would now be to scale up the global presence of Melody and take it to countries other than the existing 100. Melody is largely consumed by Indians abroad, Shah said, adding that the viral video serves as an "opportunity to make it popular among the other nationalities as well. And try and sell it to the local population in those countries where it's available."
"While it's number one in India, the idea would now be to make it a significant player globally," he added.
Is Public Listing On Cards For Parle?
Just as consumers searched for "melody" on quick commerce websites, investors looked up "Parle" on BSE. They found Parle Industries and started buying, giving a five per cent jump to the company shares. But the catch here is, Parle Industries is different from Parle Products, a Mumbai-based FMCG major. It does not manufacture Melody or any candy or snacks. Parle Industries is an infra and real estate company that also deals in recycling.
Now with the surprise brand recognition it has received, will Parle switch to public listing? Short answer: "No plans."
"Parle is one of the very few large companies that are still not listed. There is a lot of speculation about listing. We continue pursuing growth opportunities, but currently, as we speak, we have no plans of getting listed," Shah said.
"Buy More Indian Brands"
In a message to the viewers, Shah did take a moment to promote his product but also asked consumers to "buy more Indian brands and try and spread a word about good Indian brands globally to friends and acquaintances abroad."
The 'Melodi' Diplomacy
'Melodi', a blend of Meloni and PM Modi has been a viral hashtag. The term gains momentum every time the two world leaders meet.
In June 2025, Meloni herself captioned a selfie video with PM Modi from their G7 Summit interactions, saying, "Hello, from the Melodi team."
During his recent visit to Italy, PM Modi cashed on the trend by gifting a packet of 'Melody'.
But this is not just about internet memes. It reflects a stronger international bond.
Europe, especially Italy, has emerged as India's most consequential global partner. Both nations are working towards the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) that anchors Rome as Europe's gateway to the Indo-Pacific. The corridor aims to diversify global trade routes and reduce dependence on Beijing-led infrastructure networks.
Bilateral trade between the two nations has also crossed $16.77 billion.
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