Beijing: You Want Fake Ferrero ?

If you are craving for chocolate, maybe specifically for ‘golden pralines’ from Ferrero, you have to watch out at your local supermarket! Don’t put the box too fast in your shopping cart as you might have got a fake in your hands.
- Fake Ferrero? Yes! Not fake Rolex or fake Gucci. Fake Ferrero.

Ferrero S.p.A., the Italian chocolate producer won a court case early in 2006 against a Chinese company (Montresor) that counterfeit Ferrero Rocher pralines. Montresor even had to pay 87.000 Euro for compensation. But this seems to not have changed anything.

Look at the pictures, can you tell the difference? - Okay, the name is different. The fake is called ‘Trésor Doré’ or 'Montrésor'. But everything else, the logo, the golden wrapping, the brown paper cases, the differently shaped plastic boxes, all details are perfectly copied. But when you unfold them, you see the difference. The fake one looks like someone has licked it….yucky. However the taste is not too bad, but it’s different. It tastes more from roughly cut hazelnuts while the real one tastes creamier and more from chocolate. So do not try to cheat your loved ones by eating up all their Ferrero Rocher pralines and replacing them with fakes. I made the test with my husband. When the fake one is unwrapped you get caught. Of course quality has a higher price. The fake one is about 30% cheaper.

Driven by my curiosity I followed up the information printed on the back of the packing including manufacturing address, telephone and fax numbers as well as e-mail. In case someone from Italy want to contact them: ‘Trésor Doré’ is manufactured by the Foreign Trade Shanghai Shengang Foodstuff Factory in 9 Zhenxing Rd., Zhangjiagang Economic Development Zone. It is the same company that was sued by Ferrero under the name 'Montresor'.

I googled and found this website which is advertising their excellent chocolate products that have won ‘prices on ministry level, a silver medal of international fair and the fame of gifts for state guests’ (if I translated well the following: ‘the honos of excellent product psize of Ministry level, silues medal of intenational fais and the fame of gibt for state gnests’).

I would guess any other effort of Ferrero to win the case is a waste of money and time. It is better just to continue producing the best ‘chocolate hazelnut praline’ since 1982 and people will continue to pay more for the quality. The perfect mix of the ingredients (hazelnuts, Nutella, waffles and chocolate) makes Ferrero’s recipe unique.


Check this link for the real Italian Ferrero.