‘Moccona’s instant coffee reputation is not something Vittoria would ever want’: Aussie brand beats international giant in legal stoush
Aussie coffee brand Vittoria has beaten a legal challenge from international giant, JDE, which claimed it infringed on the copyright of the 400g glass jar used by the Moccona instant coffee brand.
American-Dutch company, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, owns a number of coffee brands, including Moccona, Campos, and L’Or. It took the Cantarella Bros – makers of Vittoria coffee – to court, claiming the Aussie family-owned company had engaged in “misleading and deceptive conduct” in a bid to have shoppers mistake their 400g freeze-dried instant coffee for Moccona, as well as trademark infringement.
Justice Michael Wheelahan has dismissed JDE’s claims in a Federal Court judgement.
“This legal action cost our company a significant amount in legal fees and very few family-owned coffee companies would have been able to afford such litigation,” Cantarella Bros. said in a statement after the case was dismissed.
“Vittoria’s 400g Freeze Dried Instant Coffee jar provides fair competition in a 400g market segment that had been dominated by Douwe Egberts for many years. More competition can only mean better deals for Australian consumers.
“In particular, Vittoria would like to thank the thousands of Australian consumers who wrote and posted online providing their support and comments in relation to this legal battle.”
Les Schirato, CEO of Vittoria Coffee, said of the claim: “Vittoria is widely served in cafes, restaurants and five-star hotels.
“The issue of trying to pass off on Moccona’s instant coffee reputation is not something Vittoria would ever want.”
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