Maggi ( ) is a Nestlé brand of instant soups, stocks, bouillon cubes, ketchups, sauces, seasonings and instant noodles. The original company came into existence in 1872 in Switzerland, when Julius Maggi took over his father's mill. He quickly became a pioneer of industrial food production, aiming to improve the nutritional intake of worker families. Maggi was the first to bring protein-rich legume meal to the market, and followed up with a ready-made soup based on legume meal in 1886. In 1897, Julius Maggi founded the company Maggi GmbH in the German town of Singen, where it is still based today.
In parts of China, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Europe, Mexico, Malaysia, Brunei, German-speaking countries, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland and France, "Maggi" is still synonymous with the brand's "Maggi-Würze" (Maggi seasoning sauce) (in Spain it is sold under name Jugo), a dark, hydrolysed vegetable protein-based sauce which is very similar to East Asian soy sauce, except it does not actually contain soy. Prior to the early 2000s, Maggi seasoning was an actual soy sauce, using soy and wheat as some of their ingredients, however a change in ingredients resulted in the omission of soy. It was introduced in 1886 as a cheap substitute for meat extract. It has since become a well-known part of everyday culinary culture in Switzerland, Austria and especially in Germany. It is also well known in Poland and the Netherlands. Maggi Würze has huge popularity in Serbia and Macedonia despite not being officially available in those countries. Maggi is also immensely popular in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, where Maggi seasoning is used in many soups, stir-fries, marinades and as a dipping/topping sauce. Maggi seasoning is commonly used in Asia as a "soy sauce".
The bouillon cube or "Maggi cube", which was another meat substitute product, was introduced in 1908. Because chicken and beef broths are so common in the cuisines of many different countries, the company's products have a large worldwide market.
In 1947, following several changes in ownership and corporate structure, Maggi's holding company merged with the Nestlé company to form Nestlé-Alimentana S.A., currently known in its francophone homebase as Nestlé S.A..
Today, Maggi is known throughout the world for its dry soups, seasoning sauce and instant noodle dishes. In New Zealand, Maggi Onion Soup mix is often combined with reduced cream to create an onion dip for potato chips that has come to be generally accepted as a Kiwi favorite.
In India, Maggi instant noodles are a favorite for an anytime meal. From dorm rooms of colleges to late-night cooking in home kitchens, its an all-time favorite.
In West Africa and parts of the Middle East, Maggi cubes are used as part of the local cuisine. Throughout Latin America, Maggi products, especially bouillon cubes, are widely sold with some repackaging to reflect local terminology. In the German, Dutch and Danish languages, lovage has come to be known as "Maggi herb" (Ger. Maggikraut, Du. maggikruid or Da. maggiurt), because it tastes similar to Maggi sauce, although lovage is not present in the sauce.
In Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, Maggi seasoning sauce is a popular condiment, and the bottles are familiar sights on restaurant tables.