The EU has blocked the import of a popular Algerian hazelnut spread that became popular in France after social media influencers raved about it.
“Incredible texture,” “good enough to die for,” and “so incredibly delicious” are some of the TikTok praises for El Mordjene Cebon. The jars can be found in small shops in France for upwards of 10 euros ($11).
But El Mordjene, which resembles creamy peanut butter, did not go down well with the European Union.
“Algeria does not meet the conditions for a third country to export to the European Union products containing dairy products intended for human consumption,” the French Ministry of Agriculture told AFP.
The ministry says it has launched an investigation into the way El Mordjene is still being sold in France.
“I had a hard time getting it, but I hope they put it back on sale in France and Europe,” said Benoit Chevalier, an influencer with 12 million followers on TikTok.
French supermarket chain Carrefour is the only retailer to have indicated it would sell the product. On Monday, the chain told AFP it hoped to have the product “on the shelves as soon as possible, in compliance with European regulations on the import of food products.”
A small shop in the southern city of Marseille sold a jar for 30 euros. The shopkeeper, who declined to give his name, said he had been selling the product since 2022.
In France, El Mordjene Cebon has to compete with the giant Nutella, produced by the Italian Ferrero. According to the French supermarket federation, the company has three quarters of the market for spreadable products.
In Algeria, the international success of the product is a source of national pride.
Algerians “love it,” said Rabie Zekraoui, a 23-year-old shop owner in the capital Algiers. “We only have one crate left,” adding that “we have to support Algerian products.”
Is Cebon behind all the buzz on social media?
“All this makes us very happy, but the reality is that we have nothing to do with it,” said Amine Ouzlifi, spokesman for the company, which is based in Tipaza, about 70 kilometers west of Algiers.
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