Bloom Fresh International Ltd. says it will license its protected plant varieties to Chinese growers, having secured plant variety rights for 16 table grape varietals and registered trademarks for bestsellers like Cotton Candy, Sweet Sapphire and Sweet Globe.
The company also emphasized that is taking legal action against nurseries and growers who illegitimately use its proprietary varieties and trademarks.
Having successfully resolved enforcement cases in Yunnan, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, and Guangdong, Bloom Fresh highlighted in a news release the impact on both its rights and those of its Chinese licensees and consumers. Infringers create unfair competition for the company’s licensees, who pay for rights, while infringers illicitly gain advantages through stolen intellectual property, the release said.
Bloom Fresh said poor-quality infringing fruit negatively affects the market for high-quality, licensed fruit, as infringers do not receive authorized plant material or the benefit the company’s technical support and quality assurance systems. Infringing fruit also deceives consumers, as the quality does not align with Bloom Fresh’s specifications for licensed fruit, the release said.
Chinese Authorities, including the Local Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau and Administration for Market Regulation, support Bloom Fresh’s efforts in enforcing its intellectual property rights, according to the release. Bloom Fresh said it anticipates further cooperation with local authorities, communities and licensees to protect its intellectual property.
“Bloom Fresh aims to establish a win-win-win environment for itself, its licensees, and local communities,” Bloom Fresh CEO Kenneth Avery said in the release. “Creating such an environment relies on a healthy market that protects plant breeder rights and encourages the development of robust new varieties. Despite being a long and challenging process, Bloom Fresh is committed to supporting the industry in fostering a positive and healthy intellectual property environment.”
