McCain Foods is a household name and the world’s largest producer of frozen potato products.

The issue

The British operation, McCain Foods (GB), instructed us to undertake an audit of its substantial trade mark portfolio. The main objectives were to identify ways the company could reduce expenditure on renewal fees and ensure that its current brands were adequately protected.

The solution

The audit highlighted a number of redundant registrations and areas where registrations could be merged. It also uncovered a number of products and brand developments that were commercially important to the client but didn’t have the necessary trade mark protection. Using those findings, we were able to advise where renewal fees could be reduced and sought new filings to cover the gaps in protection.

The outcome

As a result of our recommendations, the client was able to reduce expenditure on renewals by merging registrations and ceasing to renew those identified as redundant. We were ultimately able to help the client achieve a far more streamlined portfolio which was up-to-date and which represented and protected its commercial interests.