BAKERSFIELD, CA - A major announcement came down from the Sun World International organization this week. It was announced that in recent months and in three separate cases, Italian courts ruled in favor of Sun World in litigation filed by growers attempting to circumvent the contractual obligations stemming from agreements with Sun World for the growing, harvesting, and sale of its table grapes.

According to a press release, the growers sought the right to market AUTUMNCRISP® brand grapes outside of Sun World’s licensed distributors network based on a recent ruling issued by the Italian Supreme Court in the “Miglionico” case.

Despite the ruling in the Miglionico case, the Court of Bari (IP specialized section) dismissed the growers’ lawsuits and reaffirmed their contractual obligations to use Sun World’s licensed distributors network, along with an order to pay Sun World’s court costs, attorney fees, and damages.

Earlier this year, Sun World reported additional enforcements of its intellectual property rights in Italy and Egypt. In March, Italian courts ruled in favor of the supplier in litigation the company filed against unlicensed growers unlawfully producing and selling its grape varieties. In August, Egyptian courts ruled in favor of Sun World in infringement litigation the company filed against unlicensed Egyptian growers for illegal production and sale of its grapes.

We will continue to report as Sun World gives us more updates.