The brand would have frozen some of its cakes, although sold as fresh.
The Baillardran house has a storefront in Bordeaux, selling its famous cannelés. But these little cakes would not be without fault: the Bordeaux judicial court sentenced the brand to a fine of 100,000 euros on Thursday January 16. Will Distribution, its parent company, was accused of “deceptive commercial practices” and was found guilty.
The Bordeaux public prosecutor's office had requested a fine of 800,000 euros, 400,000 of which suspended, and the display of the decision in all establishments.
The facts date back to an inspection by the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP), in May 2023. State inspectors then noted that the cannelés were announced as “fresh”, while for some they had, been frozen and thawed.
The use of natural and prestigious ingredients – vanilla from Madagascar, bourbon rum and butter – was also highlighted by the chain, while the vanilla was artificial, the white rum and the butter… absent.
-A “tiny” practice
The group's lawyer, Me Sandrine Joinau-Dumail, had mentioned in December before the judge a “tiny” practice of freezing, concerning “rocks” and chocolates only, recalling that 18,000 cannelés were served each day by the chain.
Concerning the ingredients, she pleaded for quality. “Each time elements of the recipe were changed, it was to improve the pastry,” report our colleagues from Le Figaro.
The boss Philippe Baillardran had put forward another defense strategy during the investigation, claiming involuntary errors. He speaks of “omissions, errors committed out of ignorance and without intention to harm or deceive consumers”. The Bordeaux judicial court decided otherwise.
