Global and renowned instant coffee brand Moccona, under the umbrella company JDE (Jacobs Douwe Egberts) Peet’s, has accused one of Australia’s largest independent family-owned brands, Vittoria, from Cantarella Bros’, of misleading and deceptive practices using a glass jar company claimed resembled its Moccona packaging.
The Dutch giant, with a market cap of 14.64 Billion, has issued the accusation under the pretence that the alleged similarity between the glass jars may cause customers to confuse the products, with the implication that long-time Moccona consumers could pick up a jar of Vittoria instant coffee by accident, believing it to be from Moccona.
Until 2019, Vittoria was only served in restaurants, which has become popular on supermarket shelves. The company launched its 400-gram instant coffee jar in Coles in September 2022.
The Australian company has filed a cross-claim to have Koninklijke Douwe Egberts’ (KDE) trademark for its glass jar cancelled, stipulating that the glass jar was simply a matter of functionality and was not a distinctive differential design.
JDE Peet has not issued any other responses, and Vittoria has yet to further comment regarding the legal dispute.
