By Clémentine LE RIDÉE.
Since the Algerian spread El Mordjene was banned from marketing in France, hazelnut lovers have been desperately looking for an equivalent. Crema Bueno, made in Normandy, is said to taste the same. Victim of its success, it is out of stock. But the company intends to ride the wave and increase its production rate…
“It’s crazy!” » Alexandre Cousin, co-creator of Aracao, can’t believe it. Its “Crema Bueno” is out of stock. This spread looks exactly like the famous El Mordjene, produced in Algeria. The dough, with an apparently incredible taste and texture, created a buzz on social networks. The problem: it was banned in Europe in September 2024, because Algeria is not one of the countries authorized to introduce dairy products into the European Union.
Read also: El Mordjene: 5 questions about the ban in Europe on this Algerian spread
“We are in tight flow”
The misfortune of some making the happiness of others, the Norman equivalent of El Mordjene, made in Gournay-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime), sells like hotcakes. “We are in tight flow, breathes Alexandre Cousin, 27, who created his business with his partner Léa Chauveau five years ago. We sell 98% to professionals: crepe makers, ice cream parlors, bakers… But there, we have lots of supermarkets who call us to sell Crema, all over France: Marseille, Paris, Nantes… We even have TikTokers who ask us to send them the product to advertise. »
Read also: El Mordjene spread: watch out for these resale sites that scam customers
“We are going to quintuple production”
The price of this famous paste: €2.95 for a 200 g pot, “with a fixed price, whether in the grocery store or in mass distribution.” To keep pace and respond to exploding demand, the business manager is recruiting at all costs: “We are going to triple our workforce. And we are going to quintuple production. We are at 4,000 pots per day, with the arrival of new machines, we will increase to 14,000 pots. »
How does the Norman, originally from the Pays de Caux, explain this craze? “Because our products are good, obviously! “, says Alexandre Cousin in a burst of laughter. He continues: “Our dough is similar to the Algerian version, but with a lot more hazelnuts. There are 40% in ours, compared to 15% for El Mordjene. »
For the rest, Crema Bueno is composed of sugar, milk powder and RSPO palm oil (sustainably grown, Editor’s note), and a little salt. Add a pinch of buzz, and you have the recipe for success.
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