Ethiopia wins trademark rights for coffee brands

20 December, 2007

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Ethiopia has successfully won trademark rights for its specialty Harar and Sidamo coffee names, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the African producer had a protracted tussle with Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) over the use of the two names in the United States.

"Ownership rights to its two specialty coffees, Harar and Sidamo, are fully (protected) in the global coffee trading regime," the statement from the country's Intellectual Property Office said.

"No company here-to-forth will trade with Ethiopian coffee names as its trade mark."

The statement said Ethiopia had signed agreements with 60 global firms to distribute its coffees.

(Reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse; Editing by Chris Johnson)