The Utrecht-based baker who first coined the Crompouce in 2020 is now seeking advice from a Dutch lawyer after the pastry shot to stardom on social media in the past few weeks. Ulrika Menig, the owner of the currently closed Bammetje Bakery in Utrecht, registered the brand name and Crompouce product in 2020 and now says that anyone wishing to sell the treat must pay for a licence.
The pastry’s inventor wants to be given recognition for her creation, which she came up with during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. In a post on Instagram, baker Menig said that “very strict action will be taken against infringement”, and that she feels that “credit for my hard work at the time is appropriate”.
According to indebuurt, lawyers acting on behalf of the baker have already written letters to dozens of bakers, chain shops and even two supermarkets. "The product and the brand name Crompouce may not be used without the permission of the official developer, myself. And action will certainly be taken against infringement of this right. Because any credit for my hard work at the time is, I think, at its best place," Menig told NOS.
The pastry went viral earlier this year, with social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok showing the sweet treats to many young people who decided to head out to the shops and try one for themselves. Since then, the Crompouce has proven very popular with bakers across the country, with a baker from Van Maanen telling NOS: “It really is a luxurious pastry and we still sell a lot of them.”
The pastry’s inventor always knew her creation would be a top seller. "I knew that this product I had developed was here to stay. And that is exactly why Crompouce has been a registered brand name and product model since 2020,” Menig told NOS.