Brazil: collective marks

This month, the Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propiedade Industrial (INPI) granted a collective mark to the Associação dos Agricultores Familiares Produtores de Morango de Nova Friburgo (Amorango) – (Association of Family Farmers of Strawberry – at the moment 18 families are members). Fernando Hottz , producer and Amorango’s president, received the certificate from INPI’s Trade Mark director.

In the event, there was an opportunity to talk about the importance of ‘indentifying’ a product through marks, as well as the social and economic advantages of collective marks. There is indeed more awareness among consumers who benefit from marks, i.e. identification is easy, but also, the product gains credibility which is beneficial to both, consumers and producers. Sebrae, a Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises, a non-profit organization, has supported and continues to support Amorango.

INPI informs that until today it has granted 85 collective marks. It also noted that since 2010 there has been 39% increase in these applications.