The flavour enhancer with a global career, but almost everyone mispronounces its name. For 126 years, Maggi has been available as a liquid seasoning in a brown bottle with a red and yellow label. Maggi, or what is its correct name...?!
Seasoning made in Switzerland. Maggi founder Michael Johannes Julius Maggi was born in Frauenfeld (Canton Thurgau) in 1846. His father is Michael Maggi. Born in Monza, Italy, he fled to Switzerland in 1828 to escape the fascists. There the Italian becomes a successful businessman (including running several mills).
Photos: Maggi
Consequently, the surname Maggi must not be pronounced (Swiss) German, but Italian. In Italian, two "g" before an "i" become "madʒi ". (pronounced "maddshi").
>>> Maggi = madʒi
The Maggi story
In 1869, Julius Maggi takes over the hammer mill in Kempttal. At the time, the USA was exporting large quantities of wheat to Europe. That's why he first tries his hand at producing cheaper vegetable flour before turning to flavour. . In June 1886, the entrepreneur develops Maggi seasoning as a cheaper substitute for the meat variety. The basis is plant proteins, initially obtained from soybeans and wheat, since 2006 exclusively wheat.
In 1947, Maggi merges with the food multinational Nestlé.
Africa is now the largest market for Nestlé's product. The seasoning is cheap, cooking is fast. With sometimes obtrusive advertising - many markets and shops in Africa are decorated in the colours yellow and red - Nestlé makes the concentrated seasoning an important ingredient in the kitchen. 120 million bouillon cubes end up in Africa's cooking pots - per day!
The salty spice is making people increasingly ill. In Cameroon, for example, 40 per cent already suffer from high blood pressure. The main reason is too much salt, according to studies.
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written by Annie Kayser, first published on 27 August 2022
Cover picture: Maggi - FIrmenwebseite
Sources: own research; Maggi company website, Nestlé company website; SRF.ch: "Nestlé in der Kritik-Afrikaner sollen weniger Maggi essen".
