Sun World acts against Chinese infringement on TikTok

Sun World International LLC says it has stopped fraudulent activity in China on social media platform TikTok.

Sun World recently became aware of unauthorized individuals attempting to misrepresent the company on TikTok, according to a news release. Sun World says the unauthorized individuals falsely claimed association with the company and promoted fraudulent services under the guise of providing technical support for Autumncrisp, a proprietary green seedless table grape variety developed and owned by Sun World.

After Sun World's legal team filed a complaint with TikTok to address the fraudulent content, the social media platform removed the misleading advertisements, the release said.

Sun World says any party seeking to grow its table grape varieties, marketed under consumer brands including Ruby Rush, Autumncrisp, Midnight Beauty, Sable Seedless, Adora Seedless and Scarlotta Seedless, must obtain a valid license from Sun World. The company says it is committed to safeguarding its intellectual property rights and maintaining the integrity of its varieties and brands.

"Sun World maintains a zero-tolerance policy against infringement," Michael Stimson, Sun World's general counsel and vice president of intellectual property,  said in the release. "We will vigorously pursue legal action against any entity that attempts to unlawfully exploit our intellectual property."

This victory for Sun World comes amid a broader effort within the industry to combat intellectual property infringement, the release said. Other companies in the industry have also taken legal action to protect their proprietary varieties and trademarks.

For licensing related inquiries contact Janne Xu jxu@sun-world.com.