Move follows reports in Nicaraguan media that the variety has been successfully grown in the country
Fresh Del Monte is to take legal action against the illegal production of its proprietary pink pineapple in Nicaragua.
According to El Observador, the action follows reports in the Nicaraguan media that a former Costa Rican farmer, Bernar Miranda, had “successfully” begun producing the variety in Nicaragua.
Fresh del Monte told the newspaper that any unauthorised production, marketing, or distribution of the variety would be subject to legal proceedings as it constitutes “a direct violation of our intellectual property rights”.
The company said it “remains willing to collaborate with the authorities to investigate and take appropriate action against possible cases of illegal possession or sale of this variety”.
The US multinational company asserted that it is the sole owner of the pink pineapple variety, marketed as Pinkglow.
“The variety is protected under intellectual property rights, which grants Fresh Del Monte complete exclusivity over its cultivation, production, and marketing,” it said.
“Furthermore, you have the guarantee that only the product purchased from our company undergoes the rigorous quality processes to which it is subjected for sale and consumption.”
Del Monte launched Pinkglow in 2020 after 17 years of research. Fresh Del Monte patented the product and is its sole supplier worldwide. Today, the variety is sold in international markets such as the US, Canada, and the Middle East.
According to El Observador, the authorities in Costa Rica have identified three illegal plantings in the country following the discovery that the variety was being sold at local markets. The farms were subsequently identified and destroyed.
