BLOOM FRESH™ FRESH LOGRA UNA SENTENCIA HISTÓRICA DE 750.000 € EN UN IMPORTANTE CASO DE INFRACCIÓN EN ITALIA

ITALY (August 20th, 2026) As the growing season gets underway in Italy, BLOOM FRESH™ is celebrating the success of its enforcement programme over the last year, securing a series of landmark victories that protect its plant variety rights and reinforce the integrity of its licensed varieties across the country.

Over the last year, BLOOM FRESH™ has achieved a number of significant results in Italy, including a significant victory against Top Fruit di Angela Colucci, Angela Colucci and La Fitta di Angela Colucci . In a first-instance decision in this long-running case*, the Court of Bari held that BLOOM FRESH’s plant variety rights had been infringed, awarded damages and the return of unlawfully obtained net profits – which BLOOM FRESH™ estimates, across the infringement period to be well over €750,000 – and ordered the destruction of all unauthorised plants. The Court further ordered that its decision be published in the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera on 29 September 2025 rendering the decision public.

BLOOM FRESH™ also had three separate successful victories against growers of SHEEGENE 9 (marketed under the trade mark MELANIE™) in Bari, SHEEGENE 20 (marketed under the trade mark ALLISON™) in the Municipality of Conversano (Bari), and SHEEGENE 2 (marketed under the trade mark TIMPSON™) in the Municipality of Conversano (Bari), resulting in the removal of vines, provision of undertakings restraining future infringing conduct, disclosure of the source of infringement materials and payment of compensation.

Beyond the court, BLOOM FRESH™ has also stepped-up enforcement at the border. The company has recently filed an EU-wide Application for Action with Customs, formally notifying the customs authorities of each EU Member State of its plant variety rights and enabling them to detain, and where appropriate seize, unauthorised fruit imported into the EU from illegal growers, including through Italian ports.

BLOOM FRESH™ also recently delivered dedicated training to Italy’s customs authority, the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), at the port of Brindisi, briefing officers on plant variety rights, on BLOOM FRESH’s business and varieties, and on how unauthorised fruit can be detected and stopped at the EU border.

The session was well attended and gave rise to an active discussion with the officers taking part. This is understood to be among the first training sessions of its kind focused specifically on plant variety rights to have been delivered to Italian Customs, consistent with BLOOM FRESH’s broader commitment to supporting border enforcement capability in this area.

Building on the success of the Brindisi session, BLOOM FRESH™ plans to work with Customs in Italy and other EU jurisdiction to roll our training across other ports, further strengthening Customs officers’ ability to identify and stop unauthorised fruit at the border.

BLOOM FRESH’s enforcement successes reflect its investment in protecting its intellectual property rights and property varieties, maintaining zero tolerance towards infringement.

By pursuing infringers through the courts and equipping Customs authorities to intercept unauthorised fruit before it enters the market, BLOOM FRESH™ continues to safeguarding its varieties and protecting the investment of its licensees, who rely on a level playing field to compete fairly.

“This has been a landmark year for our enforcement programme in Italy. Protecting our plant variety rights isn’t just about defending BLOOM FRESH™ — it’s about protecting every licensee who has invested in growing our varieties the right way. The results show that we will pursue infringement wherever it occurs, in the courts and at the ports, to preserve the integrity of our varieties and the trust of our licensees,” said Josep Estriate, Chief Executive Officer of BLOOM FRESH.

* This matter is ongoing: the first-instance decision has been appealed by the defendants and the appeal is pending before the Court of Appeal of Bari.

About BLOOM FRESH™

BLOOM FRESH™ International is one of the world’s foremost premium fruit-breeding companies, renowned for its innovation and commitment to sustainability. With 45 years of combined experience, BLOOM FRESH™ harnesses natural breeding techniques to cultivate new table grape, raisin and cherry varieties that enhance grower profitability and consumer enjoyment. The company leads the way in developing sustainable agricultural practices that support a healthier future for all.

Contact:
Fiachra Moloney
Chief Marketing Officer
Email: communications@bloomfreshglobal.com