A company named Slavitsa lost a court case in Chelny, western-central Russia, over its scandalous ice cream brand, “Poor Jew,” Chelny-biz.ru reported last week. Citing an audit and the expert opinion of specialists, the prosecution argued that the phrase on the wrapper of these delicacies could provoke an offensive reaction among the Jews, the news website explained.
Slavitsa tried to challenge the prosecutor’s assertion, arguing that the phrase “Poor Jew” has long been in use and even registered as a trademark. Meanwhile, the delicacy with the outrageous name is still available in local stores and in stops along the motorway, according to the report.
Last week, the court sided with the prosecution.
The Chelny prosecutor’s action against Slavitsa took place after the “Poor Jew” ice cream first appeared on the shelves of Chelny shops in February, and the news about it reached the mass media in Russia, resulting in public outrage.
“Particularly outraged were representatives of Jewish communities,” who suggested Slavitsa had learned nothing from previous scandals. Slavitsa company stirred up trouble in 2016, with a chocolate ice cream it named “Obamka,” a racial putdown of then- President Barrack Obama. And last June, the same company also stepped in it last June, an ice cream named “Khokhol” – an ethnic slur against Ukrainians.
To get the flavor of the much debated product, we went to the company’s original announcement from February 28:
“We promised you new items from the ice cream factory Slavitsa? Here’s our “POOR JEW” ice cream! Try the inside of the crusty cone, glazed with chocolate – it’s sinful; two-layered ice cream (with the aroma of prunes and chocolate) – an interesting combination of taste, you do not often meet; inside the layers of ice cream – prune jam; the top of the horn is decorated with peanuts and additional ice cream. Trying all this deliciousness, it turns out that it’s not so ‘poor’ after all – our new ice cream flavor.”