Bloom Fresh has intensified its enforcement efforts in Peru with a series of new legal actions, supply chain monitoring initiatives and investigations targeting the illegal propagation and sale of its protected grape varieties.
As part of this expanded enforcement program, the company has initiated three new legal actions with the Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (INDECOPI) against unauthorized growers of its IFG Ten variety, marketed under the trade mark Sweet Globe™, and is working closely with industry partners to identify infringing fruit entering international markets.
© Bloom FreshSweet Globe grapes.
The company has increased collaboration with licensed growers and exporters across the global supply chain, particularly in the United States and European Union, the two largest export destinations for Peruvian table grapes. Through these partnerships, it is actively monitoring export data and shipment records to identify suspicious shipments of protected varieties. The company has relied on multiple entities along the supply chain which have been very cooperative in raising suspicions and identifying infringements.
In one recent case, a shipment of illegal Sweet Globe branded grapes, which had been mislabeled as an open variety Sugarone to avoid detection, was identified through supply chain policing. Importers in the U.S. are being notified, steps are also being taken to terminate the license of the grower and seek removal of all their licensed and unlicensed plots and this matter is being referred to Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria del Perú (SENASA) and INDECOPI for action.
The company is also intensifying its investigations into illegal propagation within Peru. The company has identified nurseries suspected of illegally propagating protected varieties and has now gathered evidence against more than 15 nursery targets, with legal actions currently being prepared.
© Bloom FreshSweet Celebration grapes.
At the same time, it has launched an education and compliance campaign directed at exporters and retailers, reminding them not to source fruit from unauthorized growers and warning of the legal risks associated with trading infringing fruit.
These actions build on previous major enforcement results in Peru including the removal of 110 hectares of illegally planted varieties, marketed under the trademarks Sweet Globe, Jack's Salute™, Sweet Celebration™ and Allison™ and payment of very hefty fines. This marked the largest illegal vine removal in the history of table grape infringement cases in Peru.
"Protecting our intellectual property is essential to protecting the legitimate growers who invest in our varieties and the integrity of the industry," said Josep Estiarte, CEO of Bloom Fresh. "We hope that these recent efforts and actions serve as a warning to anyone else who thinks that this kind of infringement will pay off in the long run and encourage everyone working in fresh produce to support our efforts to find and hold these bad actors to account."
For more information:
Bloom Fresh
[email protected]
www.bloomfreshglobal.com
