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.