Chocomel has a monopoly on the color yellow

FrieslandCampina has won a remarkable trademark battle: Chocomel’s distinctive yellow color now enjoys trademark protection in the Benelux. As a result, the dairy group can block competitors in the cocoa beverage category if they come too close to that shade of yellow.

Cacaolat clashes with Chocomel yellow

The issue stems from a trademark application by the Spanish Grupo Cacaolat, which aims to further expand its Cacaolat chocolate drink throughout Europe. The company sought to register a yellow logo in the Benelux, but FrieslandCampina filed an objection. Chocomel has been in existence since 1932 and became part of what is now FrieslandCampina via Nutricia in 2001; throughout that time, the color yellow has been central to its packaging.