China's Wahaha wins court victory in trademark dispute

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

SHANGHAI, (AFP) — A Chinese court has ruled that China's largest soft drink maker is the owner of the Wahaha trademark, ruling against France's Danone, the Chinese company's former partner, the companies said Tuesday.

The Wahaha Group was the rightful owner of the brand name, the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court said in a ruling dated July 30, that endorsed an arbitration decision from December, Wahaha said in a statement.

"The dispute over the ownership of the Wahaha brand, which lasted more than one year, was finally settled and it was affirmed that Wahaha brand belongs to Wahaha," the Chinese drink maker said in a statement.

However, Danone plans to pursue the case at a higher court, Danone spokesman Michael Chu said in a statement.

"Danone...