Danone seeks Wahaha trademarks

Tensions between France's Group Danone and Hangzhou Wahaha Group continued this week as Danone's joint venture with the Chinese beverage company filed a counterclaim with the Hangzhou Arbitration Commision to secure ownership of the Wahaha trademark, the Wall Street Journal reported. The number of lawsuits and arbitrations linked to the JV is growing. In June, Hangzhou Wahaha requested arbitration to solve a trademark dispute with Danone. Wahaha chairman Zong Qinghou claimed Danone was investing in competing joint ventures, while Danone has accused Zong of illegally selling products identical to ones owned by the joint venture. This week, the French company said Wahaha brought the trademarks into the partnership, but never transferred them to the JV. Danone has also filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles for more than US$100 million over illegal sales by companies related to Wahaha.