Parle Melody goes stock out as PM Modi gifts the toffee to Italian counterpart Meloni

MUMBAI: Parle Products’ Melody candy is flying off the shelves and selling out on flash trading platforms after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the product to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday.

“We are seeing huge demand across India and have instructed distributors to increase product stocks,” said Mayank Shah, vice president of Parle Products.

The caramel and chocolate candy found itself at the center of a diplomatic exchange on Wednesday after Prime Minister Modi gifted a pack to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her visit to Italy. The gesture made clear the internet’s long-standing admiration for the chemistry between the two leaders, affectionately dubbed “Melody” online, a mash-up of their surnames that has sparked countless memes and social media posts in India.

For Parle Products, this moment became an unexpected burst of attention. “Parle Melody is India’s best-selling confectionery brand and is available in over 100 countries today,” said Shah. The company was also asked to increase confectionery production, but no further details were shared.

Ripple effects were seen almost immediately in trading circles. Melody has long been among Parle’s fastest-moving products, but demand has now gone up further as curious consumers and social media users rush to buy the same candy gifted on the world stage, according to a former senior executive associated with the company.

Stock up on an irrelevant area

The episode also revived interest in the wider Parle universe. Headquartered in Mumbai, Parle Products is one of India’s oldest indigenous FMCG companies with brands such as Parle-G, Monaco, Hide & Seek and Mango Bite in its portfolio. The company itself is a private company and is not publicly traded.

That hasn’t stopped retail investors from reacting.

Shares of Parle Industries surged 5% on Wednesday even though the company has no connection with Parle Products. A publicly traded entity with a market capitalization of approx. ₹25 crore, operates in the field of infrastructure and real estate development and is also involved in paper trading and recycling related businesses.

The frenzy reflects a broader phenomenon that is becoming increasingly visible in consumer markets around the world: the ability of a casual public appearance to mobilize both products and stocks. For example, photos of Nvidia CEO in late 2025 Jensen Huang’s meal at a Korean fried chicken restaurant triggered a sharp rise in South Korean fried chicken and poultry-related stocks, with some shares rising 20-30% on the day.

Ironically, all of this is happening at a time when brands are becoming more cautious about celebrity-led marketing. Data from TAM AdEx’s 2025 television advertising brief showed Indian FMCG companies are pulling back from expensive celebrity advertising deals, with marketers questioning whether the impact justifies rising costs. Brands are turning to influencers and digital-first campaigns instead.