The Council of County Bar Owners Association have threatened to move to court within two weeks to seek clarification on the issue of patent right over the Euro beer bottles in Kenya.
The council’s chairman for Kiambu County, Richard Kagiri blames monopoly for the current frictions between the East African Breweries Limited and Keroche Breweries over branding of the euro bottle.
Nakuru county Chairman Gachoka has revealed that the tussle between the two companies has led to huge losses.
This comes even as the two companies are competing for dominance in the kenyan market and east africa breweries limited had earlier on moved to court challenging the use of brown bottles local manufacturer Keroche breweries limited.
High Court Judge Grace Nzioka directed the two beer firms to cease the media advertisement war over ownership of the bottles, pending the hearing of the case this Friday.
EABL had on December 20 issued a media notice informing the public of the ownership of bottles and bottle crates that are engraved with the EABL trademark, arguing that the advert was based on an earlier court order stopping Keroche from using its products.
Keroche followed up on December 24 with a notice that accused Diageo’s EABL of using its dominance to stifle competition and drive it out of business. In documents filed in court, the six Keroche distributors argue that allowing Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) and EABL exclusive use of the brown bottles is irrational, unreasonable, an abuse of intellectual property and misuse of dominance.
