Archive for July 14th, 2006

Trademarks in the Drink Field

Friday, July 14th, 2006

The link below is a summary of…interesting…trademark matters in the energy drink field:

http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/newsmaker_article.asp?idNewsMaker=11481&fSite=AO545&next=4

Here’s a taste:

The media is reporting that Jose Canseco is coming out with an energy drink called “Juiced”….Perhaps there is a part of this story that hasn’t become public yet, but “Juiced” is a name that is already being used in this category for Rockstar’s Juiced energy-juice hybrid product. You’d think that Canseco’s legal team — which must be pretty large given the accusations that he’s slinging around — would have figured this out. Just because you have a book doesn’t mean you have rights to the name in the beverage industry.

Kraft to Regain Its Trademarks

Friday, July 14th, 2006

Kraft Foods has announced that it will purchase the Spanish and Portuguese units of United Biscuits Group as well as buy back its  Nabisco trademarks in Europe

Under terms of the deal, Kraft would return a 25 percent stake in United Biscuits, valued at $522 million, to the company and assume $548 million in debt to gain the divisions and the rights to brands like Ritz crackers and Oreo cookies in Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“Kraft has a fairly narrow international footprint, so as they seek to expand, it makes sense for them to buy back rights to brands they already own,” said Thomas Russo at Gardner Russo & Gardner.