Glanbia taken to court by food giant Danone

THE High Court will tomorrow begin hearing a multi-million-euro suit taken against Glanbia by French food giant Danone.

Danone is claiming that Glanbia’s Essence range of yoghurts breaches Irish patent laws.

Danone has a number of product lines under its Activia brand, which use Bifidus Essensis — a strain of bacteria — and that Glanbia’s Yoplait Essence range is too similar in name. Danone claims to hold the Irish patent to the Essence name.

If Danone wins the case it could seek millions in damages and also demand that Glanbia recall all Yoplait Essence probiotic products and stop using the name.

Glanbia is expected to argue before the court that Danone no longer uses the Bifidus Essensis name in Ireland and that Yoplait’s Essence range is dissimilar to Essensis.

The case will be heard by Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan in the Commercial Court tomorrow.

Sales of probiotic products have surged in Ireland in recent years due to their ability to improve digestion and overall health. Danone is said to have a quarter share of the Irish market and Glanbia has seen sales of its probiotic products surge in the last couple of years.