Mahashian Di Hatti, sometimes referred to as MDH, is a family-run brand with its headquarters in New Delhi that was founded in 1919. For many years, the spices MDH and Everest, based in India, have been staples in kitchens all over the world.
With advertisements and packaging that featured its founder, Dharampal Gulati, sporting a turban and handlebar moustache, it gained popularity. Gulati, known as the “Spice King” of India, passed away in 2020. On their website, MDH lists 62 goods. It sells spice blends made after “decades of research” as well as grounded spices.
With three items, Everest Food items was founded in 1967. Vadilal Bhai Shah, the company’s founder, began operations in a modest 200 square foot spice store. Everest now sells 52 items in about 80 countries worldwide, including those in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa. According to its website, 3.7 billion packs of Everest goods are sold annually, and about 20 million households utilize its products on a daily basis. In 1,000 small villages and cities around India, Everest goods are sold by about 620,000 outlets. Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, who represent Everest, frequently collaborate in TV ads to promote the company’s goods, particularly those used to prepare the well-known rice dish biryani. In 2022–2023, Everest’s net sales were $365 million.
Due to high concentrations of a pesticide known to cause cancer, Hong Kong and Singapore banned specific spice items from MDH and Everest, two well-known Indian spice brands, last month. It was ethylene oxide, which was considered dangerous for ingestion by humans and may cause cancer if exposed to it for an extended period of time. A compilation of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data by Reuters claims that MDH goods were rejected in the US because they included salmonella, a germ that is known to cause gastrointestinal ailments.
According to FDA data, between October 2023 and May 3, 2024, around 20% of MDH’s 65 shipments to the US were refused due to quality control issues. Among other things, these rejected shipments included fenugreek, seasoning, and mixed spices.