New Delhi, May 21 — Parle Products found itself at the centre of an online buzz after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a packet of Melody toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a filmed interaction that quickly went viral on social media. The brief exchange spawned a fresh wave of “Melodi” memes linking Meloni’s name to the popular candy and drew widespread attention to the gesture.
Parle Products capitalised on the moment by sharing the clip on its Instagram account with the caption, “Sweetening relationships since 1983.” Mayank Shah, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Parle Products, told CNBC-TV18 the gift was “a nice way of pushing Indian products and giving a global stage,” and said the company expects “a lot of traction in domestic and international sales” following the viral attention.
The social media reaction also spilled into markets: Parle Industries’ shares experienced frenzied buying on Wednesday, surging 5 percent to hit the upper circuit limit and close at Rs 5.25 on the BSE, with 8.57 lakh shares changing hands. The stock had a muted start to trading but jumped after Meloni posted the video and was heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee – Melody.”
However, the market move reflected a case of mistaken identity. Investors appeared to confuse Parle Industries-the listed company whose shares rallied-with Parle Products, the FMCG maker of Melody toffees. Parle Products, which made the Instagram post and whose CMO commented to the media, is not listed on the stock exchanges.
The episode highlights how brief diplomatic gestures and viral social content can quickly influence public perception and even prompt market reactions, underscoring the intersection of pop culture, brand visibility and investor behaviour.
– PTI
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/business/sweetening-relationships-since-1983-parle-joins-viral-melodi-meme-trend-1611862
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Publish Date: 2026-05-21 11:26:00
