Zespri demands 300,000 yuan for trademark infringement

January 4, 2008

World’s largest kiwifruit provider Zespri has filed a lawsuit against a Chinese firm over imitating its trademark and demanded a compensation of 300,000 yuan (40,540 U.S. dollars).

New Zealand kiwifruit producer Zespri Group Ltd. claimed during the court hearing in Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court on November 20 that Xishu Fruit Trading Company, based in Nantong City of Jiangsu Province, has been using the trademark of “Znishio”, which is quite identical to the registered “Zespri”.

The plaintiff said it registered the trademark of “Zespri” and the sunbeam logo after it entered the Chinese market in 1998.

However, Zespri officials found the similar trademark on the fruits sold by Xishu Shanghai earlier this year.

Zespri insisted that the design and whole image of the trademark used by Xishu would easily cause confusion and mislead consumers and thus infringed its trademark right.