After months of investigations and legal action, BLOOM FRESH™, one of the world's largest table grape, cherry and raisin growers, proceeded to remove 110 hectares of Sweet Globe®, Jack's Salute®, Sweet Celebration® and Allison™ varieties illegally planted and produced by a grower in Peru.
The company reported that this is the largest removal of illegal plantings in the history of table grape infringement cases in Peru. In addition to the removal of the plants, a substantial economic penalty was imposed on the grower involved.
Similarly, the company said that this action “is a warning” to growers who are planning to illegally plant BLOOM FRESH™ varieties next season.
“BLOOM FRESH™ will continue to act with the strongest legal recourse against nurseries and growers who illegally use its varieties and trademarks,” it states.
The producer of the illegal grapes, which were found in southern Peru, was forced to uproot and remove the 110 hectares of planted material, incurring his own expenses. Not only will the move have a significant impact on his future income, but he also has to pay a costly fine for the infraction.
BLOOM FRESH™ made it clear that it is continually monitoring the market for infringers to ensure compliance with its patents. If any infringement is detected, the company has local and international legal teams ready to act.
“Today we are sending a very clear message to the industry and growers who are thinking of planting Bloom Fresh varieties illegally. Infringement of our intellectual property will not be tolerated and we will employ all our resources against anyone who thinks they can get away with it. This case demonstrates the significant financial consequences that infringing growers will face,” confirmed Josep Estiarte, CEO of BLOOM FRESH™.
“The reason this is so important to us is simple. Legitimate producers around the world have placed their trust in us to help them build their businesses for the long term. We must protect their interests by ensuring that those who wish to plant our varieties illegally are held accountable,” added Estiarte.
BLOOM FRESH™ CEO noted that “we are also a founding member of The Global Breeders Alliance, which has a worldwide network of investigators who continually scan the marketplace for infringement. We routinely conduct DNA testing on any fruit or plant that we believe may be illegal and work closely with major retailers and distributors around the world, to identify infringements of our intellectual property.”
Chile and Peru will join forces on August 8, 2024, at the first Global Grape Convention, to be held at the Casino Monticello Events Center, to face the main challenges for grapes globally.
