Ferrero Loses Raffaello Trademark Protection in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Arbitration Court ruled against the well-known Italian confectionery manufacturer Ferrero in the dispute with the Russian company Landrin over the protection of the Raffaello trademark in Ukraine.

Landrin manufactures chocolates under the brand Landrin Waferatto, which are very similar in appearance to Ferrero’s Raffaello candy. The Italian company maintained that Landrin used Raffaello trademark images on its chocolate packages. Landrin argued that Ferrero’s trademark has no distinctive features, while Ferrero argued that the images of the Raffaello candies could be considered a trademark.

Ferrero will appeal the decision before the Ukrainian Supreme Court.

Francesco Paolo Fulci, international vice president of Ferrero, explained that Landrin started producing its round waffle sweets with coconut filling for the Ukrainian market in year 2007, and later it spread to Latvia. Fulci underlined that both the Russian and Latvian courts ruled that these actions of the Russian confectionery company are illegal. He also noted that the head of Landrin is a former Ferrero employee in Russia.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic in our Balkan Regional Office.