While it remains the king of spreads with more than 66% of the market share for its mythical Nutella, the Italian group Ferrero has just lost a small battle against its compatriot Rigoni di Asiago, which markets the Nocciolata brand. At the end of 2020, the giant of 14 billion euros in turnover had sued in France Rigoni di Asiago for "denigration and parasitism" following a TV spot extolling, plush orangutan in support, the merits of its organic product "without palm oil".
A thinly disguised attack, according to Ferrero, against its Nutella, which has been regularly singled out in the past for the use of this ingredient. And on which Ferrero has deployed a strict policy in recent years, guaranteeing 100% traceable and deforestation-free palm oil. Convinced of this unfair competition, and after a first decision against it a year ago, Ferrero's French subsidiary has again seen its claim for damages (1.5 million euros) rejected, explained Rigoni on Tuesday, reacting to this information from the website L'Informer.
Ferrero is ordered (...) to pay Rigoni (...) compensation which will be fixed in equity at the sum of EUR 10,000
Rigoni di Asiago
"Ferrero is condemned (...) to pay to the company Rigoni (...) an indemnity which will, in equity, be set at the sum of 10,000 euros," the Italian SME said. While the sanction, which Ferrero "has taken note of", remains symbolic, the competition is fierce in this area. In addition to Rigoni, which has made France a land of conquest for its Nocciolata, many players have tried to carve out a place for themselves next to the Nutella fortress. Among them, the American Mondelez, with its Milka brand, and the French Andros, with Bonne Maman. But also the jam maker Lucien Georgelin or the troublemakers Michel and Augustin, about to be bitten by ... Ferrero.