Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has won trademark rights for its specialty Sidamo coffee in the United States, the intellectual property office said on Wednesday, seen as a witness to successful completion of the row with US coffee giant Starbucks.
Ethiopia, Africa's largest coffee producer had a protracted tussle with Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) last year over the use of its three specialty coffee brands- Harar, Yirgachefe, and Sidamo coffees- in the United States "Ethiopia was forced to wait for years to secure the certificate...but now the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has confirmed that Ethiopia is the sole owner of the Sidamo coffee trademark," the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) said in a statement.
Ethiopia has already secured trademark rights for Yirgacheffee coffee in the United States.
Starbucks and Ethiopia agreed to end their dispute in November 2007.
Ethiopia has filed an application for trademark rights for its Harar coffee, the statement said.
It said Ethiopia had signed agreements with more than 70 global companies to promote its coffees.
Coffee is one of the most highly traded commodities in the world, second only to oil. The trade of coffee generates $80 billion every year in the global market, and that amount is growing.
Ethiopia's annual production is estimated at over 330,000 tonnes. It plans to generate $500 million by exporting over 140,000 tonnes of coffee in 2008.
Ethiopia is recognized as the historic birthplace of coffee and the source of some of the finest coffee in the world.
The coffee crisis is only one fragment of the many crises including political conditions that have crippled economic growth in developing nations, especially in Africa. Compounding the problems is the rising brain-drain of African professionals (skilled and non-skilled) to the Middle East, Europe, and North America in search of better opportunity.
In February 2006, Ethiopia offered Starbucks a royalty-free license to use the names in exchange for giving Ethiopia ownership over the names. Starbucks rejected the offer.
In June 2006, the National Coffee Association of USA (NCA), on behalf of Starbucks, filed a letter of protest to stop Ethiopia's trademark application from being further processed. Ethiopia was engaged in long-lasting raw with Starbucks ever since.
Comments 1 to 5 of 6 Post a comment
Congratulations Ethiopia, but instead of waiting millions of dollars to American lawyers in American institutions and courts, bickering with American corporations for nothing more than a "commercial label", while desperately begging for American "famine aid", it would have been great if Ethiopia learns how to feed it's own ever starving people. When did common sense, accountability, responsibility and obligation to serve the people disappeared from Ethiopian vocabulary? Lord have mercy on Ethiopia.
Congratulations Ethiopia, but instead of wasting millions of dollars to American lawyers in American institutions and courts, bickering with American corporations for nothing more than a "commercial label", while desperately begging for American "famine aid", it would have been great if Ethiopia learns how to feed it's own ever starving people. When did common sense, accountability, responsibility and obligation to serve the people disappeared from Ethiopian vocabulary? Lord have mercy on Ethiopia.
May God forgive you Gerriel ijam for your insesnsiblity. I just want to say if you know history every nation had passed through famine or prosperity. Now it is your turn and time to boast there will come a time when some people harvest what they sow. Remember the principle of harvesting what you sow. If you live long you will see that. Depression and II world war were just our yesterday's history. All riches most of the times based on exploitation of African natuaral resources gold and diamonds. (Colonialism and slavery what is to be proud of if some people have a sense of humanity unless they lost it all) We have decided to forgive injustices and the worst treatment we have received from other people) If you are wise you will foresee what is to come. Every religion tells us we live at the end of time and even science indicates that in some way. But some people don't care if they stand on some people's graves and enjoy life. How could you do that? Just think how money poor farmers live in poverty to produce the Sidamo or Harare coffee with backward farming tools and cows. Do you exploit these farmers and their children in order you get profit in millions. Many of these farmers do not have tractors. Farmers are not like rich north American farmers. Anyway try to reflect that way I believe God created with all human symphaty and compassion. There is a big sastfaction to you mind if you are a humantarian. Materliasm only brings a temporary good time but at the end leaves you with emptyness. We know that just look around. Hope and peace and love. Love humanity.
No No, "Lord have mercy on you brother", because you are the one who need help than Ethiopia. I am tired of people who flip and manipulate the coin to give one side of the story, one which is always negative. What about the positive things Ethiopia is doing? You mean they don't count?
So what are you saying brother? Are you saying Ethiopia should sell its soul to survive? Do you know how much it means for Ethiopia to win this legal battle? In the long run Ethiopia is going to get bigger returns, much more than what they paid the American lawyers as you put it. Now you think they don't understand the dynamics of international business or economics for that matter. I am not Ethiopian but as an African, I understand the complexity of trying to balance self-reliance and foreign exploitation (by multi-nationals).
Ethiopia, raise your hand and be counted, you have a right to be proud. Max Gilika Atlanta, USA
No No, "Lord have mercy on you brother", because you are the one who need help than Ethiopia. I am tired of people who flip and manipulate the coin to give one side of the story, one which is always negative. What about the positive things Ethiopia is doing? You mean they don't count?
So what are you saying brother? Are you saying Ethiopia should sell its soul to survive? Do you know how much it means for Ethiopia to win this legal battle? In the long run Ethiopia is going to get bigger returns, much more than what they paid the American lawyers as you put it. Now you think they don't understand the dynamics of international business or economics for that matter. I am not Ethiopian but as an African, I understand the complexity of trying to balance self-reliance and foreign exploitation (by multi-nationals).
Ethiopia, raise your hand and be counted, you have a right to be proud. Max Gilika Atlanta, USA
See All Comments