By Herman Lai, posted Sep 6, 2011 at 8:00 PM, 1,165 views,

Chinese Food Company Accused by Apple Over Logo Infringement

Firstly, do you think the logo on the left looks similar to Apple’s logo? According to news report from a Chengdu local newspaper, a food company in Sichuan was accused by the tech giant Apple of trademark infringement. More info after the break.

Sichuan Fangguo Food Co., Ltd. (四川方果食品有限公司) is the name of the Sichuan food company, which received a letter on July 19 from the Guangzhou branch of Beijing Zhucheng Law written on behalf of Apple in regard of two major issues:

1. The shape of trademark. The letter indicated the petiole and the leaf of Fangguo’s logo are conceptually similar to Apple’s trademark.

2. Fangguo recent registered trademark in new products category — “electronic-game software” and “notebook computers”.

The 2nd issue is probably the trigger that caused Apple prompted a letter to them.

However, Fangguo refused to change the logo, the CEO of Fangguo said:

“There’s a leaf so you can tell it’s an apple, but it also contains two Chinese characters. …The orientation is also different, and ours is a totally different shape. …When I started Fangguo, I had never even heard of Apple.”

“I’m Fangguo, it’s a fruit, if the leaf is removed, it’ll just look like a bomb.” [ Truth in advertising ? ] He added, “Anyway, the law firm who sent the letter hasn’t contacted me since they sent it.”

Fangguo had existed in Sichuan for over three decades, Apple was not famous at that time, it is reasonable that they did not heard of Apple when Fangguo began. Moreover, the company had been awarded as one of the renowned brand in Sichuan province.

Fangguo CEO also mentioned the company doesn’t have any specific plan to extend the business into electronic goods, the reason that apply for Fangguo’s computer trademark is merely to offer themselve with more opportunity. He noted some of his family members are using Apple products, but this doesn’t stop him to confront Apple’s claim.

Above image is taken in the Chengu Century City Exhibition Center, which holds the Fourth China Trademark Convention today. The company’s employees are giving out 1,000 questionnnaires for attendees to ask them opinion on Apple’s claim.

Source: TianFu Morning News ( content in Chinese ) via GoChengDoo