NETHERLANDS: Unilever takes BID CO to court over margarine

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods conglomerate Unilever is taking a rival company to court in a bid to prevent it producing, selling or distributing a margarine brand in Kenya. Unilever has asked Justice Onyango Otieno, sitting in Mombasa, to stop Bidco Oil Refinery Ltd from manufacturing and selling Gold Band margarine, on the grounds that it infringes the trademark of its own Blue Band.

May 31, 2002

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods conglomerate Unilever is taking a rival company to court in a bid to prevent it producing, selling or distributing a margarine brand in Kenya.

Unilever has asked Justice Onyango Otieno, sitting in Mombasa, to stop Bidco Oil Refinery Ltd from manufacturing and selling Gold Band margarine, on the grounds that it infringes the trademark of its own Blue Band.

Unilever is seeking to be awarded all profits made by Bidco from the sale of the margarine brand since its introduction in August 1999.

Unilever Kenya Change Manager Margaret Mwaura Yesterday, Mrs Mwaura said the manufacture and sale of the brand infringed on the Blue Band trade mark as its marketing concepts were similar to those designed by Unilever Plc. She added that Unilever had created the brand with close association to colours; This was the same concept adopted by Bidco for Gold Band, reported Africa News Service.