Counterfeit Old Amsterdam

DutchAmsterdam, Feb. 3, 2008 – A few weeks ago we reported the story behind the popular TV commercial for Old Amsterdam cheese.

Now comes an indication of the product’s popularity: Westland Kaas Groep, makers of the Old Amsterdam cheese, Friday announced counterfeit products labeled ‘Old Amsterdam’ have been discovered in several places throughout Holland.

While imitation is said to the be the sincerest form of flattery, Westland says it will take the counterfeiters to court.

Westland director Cor Lustig tells Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad that customers can safely buy the genuine product at supermarkets and other official outlets. The counterfeit products — said to be inferior in taste, as well as burdened with a bad aftertaste — were discovered at weekly street markets.

Incidentally, other than the name ‘Old Amsterdam’ and the marketing campaign with faked ‘nostalgic’ black and white films of Amsterdam, the cheese has no connection whatsoever with Amsterdam.

Technically, the cheese itself isn’t even old. It is a ‘young old’ cheese, says culinary reporter Wouter Klootwijk — who points out that, owing to modern biological processes, nowadays cheese can be ripened rapidly.

That said, the cheese is very popular.