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Treasury Wines scores victory in six-year legal battle over alleged Penfolds copycat brand in China
Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has scored a landmark victory amid a six-year legal battle against an alleged copycat operator.
As reported by the Australian Financial Review, Chinese-Australian company Rush Rich has been found to have infringed TWE’s Australian Chinese trademarks for Penfolds Penfolds Winery, 奔富酒园.
Treasury Wines said in a statement that the court decision was based on the “bad faith” of Rush Rich, as the South Australian-based company had been engaged in illicit conduct in registering a large number of trademarks for other luxury brands including Penfolds and Bentley.
Treasury Wines has been battling against Rush Rich, who had allegedly been copycatting the Penfolds brand in China, for six years through the courts in China and Australia.
Penfolds Managing Director Tom King expressed his gratitude to Chinese authorities for protecting the company’s brand: “Our long-term commitment to China, as well as international legal protection to prevent infringement of our trademarks, gives our consumers confidence that they will continue to enjoy the award-winning quality wine from the Penfolds collection,”
“Penfolds has a long and proud heritage in China that’s been protected and nurtured since the first bottle of wine was exported from South Australia to Shanghai in 1893.”
He concluded that the company takes a “zero tolerance” approach to any infringements.
Anna Olsen, global director of intellectual property of TWE , said businesses will always prioritize protecting their brands.
“We will spare no effort to protect our brands and, if necessary, we will defend our rights in the highest courts,” she said.
Wine Australia also welcomed the news.
“The protection of Australian wine brands overseas is essential to maintaining Australia’s exceptional reputation for quality and authenticity in the global marketplace,” Wine Australia’s general manager of ESG and market access, Rachel Triggs commented.
Read more: Penfolds first wine from China underlines TWE’s ‘long-term commitment’ to the market.
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