New Zealand has lost a trans-Tasman battle after a bid to trademark the term “manuka honey” was rejected by the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office (NZIPO).
The Manuka Honey Appellation Society (MHAS), with NZ$6 million (US$3.8 million) in support from the central government, has tried for almost a decade to trademark the term “manuka honey” to refer to those that are produced in New Zealand solely.
They argue that the word manuka is an English loan word adopted from the Maori word mānuka and therefore was in New Zealand’s interests to own the trademark.
On the other side, the Australian Manuka Honey Association (AMHA) has opposed this move, saying that the manuka honey products made in Australia are also genuine….