Gujarat : Balaji Wafers launches Jhalmuri after PM Modi’s viral Bengal moment

Rajkot | Gujarat —  In a classic example of timing meeting opportunity, Rajkot-based snack giant Balaji Wafers has launched a ready-to-eat Jhalmuri product shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s viral roadside snack moment in West Bengal captured national attention.

The new product—priced at an accessible ₹5 and ₹10—signals the company’s aggressive push to tap regional flavours and turn trending moments into mass-market opportunities.

Viral moment sparks business idea

According to Managing Director Chandubhai Virani, the idea came quickly after a widely shared video showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoying Jhalmuri during a campaign visit in West Bengal.

“We Gujaratis are known for timing and hitting ‘mauke pe choka’,” Virani said. “When the Prime Minister tasted Jhalmuri in Bengal, it became a hot topic. We moved fast to bring this flavour to the market with easy pricing and marketing.”

The PM’s brief interaction with a street vendor—where he jokingly replied that he eats onions “just not the brain”—went viral across social media, turning the humble Bengali snack into a national talking point almost overnight.

From Bengal street snack to packaged FMCG product

Jhalmuri, a popular street snack in eastern India, is typically a spicy mixture of puffed rice, sev, peanuts, spices and tangy flavourings. Balaji’s packaged version aims to replicate the taste as a “dry bhel” variant suited for mass consumption.

Virani revealed that the new product uses rice bran, sev, groundnuts and a blend of spices, along with lemon flavouring to recreate the tangy punch associated with traditional Jhalmuri.

“This dish is extremely popular in Bengal. We wanted to make it accessible across India,” he said.

The move reflects the company’s strategy of regional flavour expansion—an increasingly competitive trend in India’s fast-growing snack industry.

Affordable pricing for mass reach

By pricing the product at ₹5 and ₹10, the company is targeting students, travellers and value-conscious consumers, a segment that has historically powered Balaji Wafers’ growth.

Virani credited the Prime Minister’s popularity for amplifying the product’s relevance. “Today, the Prime Minister is like the brand ambassador of the country. When he promotes something, even indirectly, it reaches the last person. We also want to reach the last person,” he said.

New generation driving expansion

Balaji Wafers, founded in Gujarat and now one of India’s leading regional snack brands, is increasingly leaning on modern marketing and fast product innovation led by the next generation of the Virani family.

Industry observers say the Jhalmuri launch highlights how Indian FMCG companies are closely tracking social media trends and political events to shape consumer products.