Algerian spread banned in Europe

Although it was almost out of stock, the Algerian spread El Mordjene is now reportedly banned in France.

It had conquered the taste buds of the French. El Mordjene, the Kinder Bueno-flavored spread produced by the Cebon company in Algeria, would now be banned from import into France, reported the Algerian media TSA on Friday, September 13.

During the summer, consumers rushed to store aisles to sample the spread, praised for its roasted hazelnut flavor, sometimes even leading to stock shortages.

A competition with Nutella?

According to TSA Algeria, “containers full of jars of the famous Algerian paste were blocked at the port of Marseille in France.” Asked by the Algerian media, Mustapha Zebdi, the president of the Algerian Association for Consumer Protection (Apoce), confirmed that “the last shipment of El Mordjene paste had not been authorized to be unloaded in Europe.”

But why these blockages? Mustapha Zebdi mentions “article 20, third paragraph, of regulation n°2202/2292 of the European Union”. This text governs in particular the rules for the entry of food products containing milk into the European Union. However, Algeria is not among the countries authorized to bring this type of product onto the European market.

An explanation that does not convince the president of Apoce. According to him, the real reason for the end of imports would be linked to the dazzling success of the El Mordjene spread, which would represent a serious competitor for European brands such as Nutella.

“The product was coming in and traveling… And when it became a danger to their beloved product, they did all the tests and released all the standards!” he lamented to TSA Algeria.