Beverage products Trademark Registration in Vietnam

The beverage market has been considered a “fertile land” due to the huge demand such a long time. It can be seen that in the beverage market, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, URC, Uni-President… are big corporations that have invested in Viet Nam. Domestically, leading trademarks include Sabeco, Habeco, Huda, Tribeco, Tan Hiep Phat, Saigon… and many others. At first, trademarks development shall build a trademark logo for professional beverage products, that logo should be different from the market. Along with the registration of protection of those trademarks – this is the best way for enterprises to protect their trademark values.

Group the beverage products trademark registration

            According to the Nice Classification of trademark registration, beverage products such as beer, non-alcoholic beverages and other non-alcoholic preparations for making beverages are in class 32; alcoholic beverages are classified in class 33.

            Notices:

• Medical beverages (Class 05);
• Mainly milk beverages (Class 29);
• Coffee, cocoa or chocalte bevarages (Class 30).

Procedures for beverage products trademark registration in Vietnam

Search for a trademark in Vietnam

            This is a completely voluntary procedure for the applicant. However, this procedure should be carried out as it is the first and important step in the preliminary assessment of a trademark. This search is for reference only and it is not a basis for granting or not granting title.

• Preliminary search: Viet An Law will conduct a preliminary search for customers within 01 working days from the date of receipt of a trademark sample.
• Unofficial search at the Intellectual Property: After a premilinary search the trademark, there is no sign of similarity with the registered trademark, customers should perform the procedures for search at the Intellectual Property office to assess the highest rate in possibility of protection. The search procedure through Viet An Law representative is 01 – 03 working days.

Trademark registration process

Application for trademark registration includes:

• A trademark registration declaration
• A trademark template with dimensions bigger than 3 x 3 cm and smaller than 8 x 8 cm;
• A list of products and services requiring to be registered;
• A power of attorney (authorize Viet An Law to submit the trademark registration application);
• Fee payment receipts.

After submitting the application, if the application is valid, the Intellectual Property office will consider receiving and processing the application. Processing time for a trademark registration application includes:

• Form appraisal: 01 – 02 months;
• Publish application in the Intellectual Property office’s gazette;
• Content appraisal: 09 – 12 months;
• Grant and publish the trademark registration certificate for the owner: 01 – 02 months.

Conclusion, the usual registration period of a trademark is about 13 -18 months from the date of acceptance of a valid application. In case businesses wishing to carry out procedures with fast registration time from the date of acceptance of valid applications, please contact Viet An Law for detailed instructions.

Note: Trademark registration fee is calculated based on the number of groups and the number of products in each group specified in the application so that fee to register a trademark for groups or products in a group is more expensive.

Advices on beverage products trademark registration of Viet An Law:

• Advices on procedures and conditions for an extension of trademark protection;
• Advices on the possibility of a trademark registration protection;
• Conduct a preliminary search when register a trademark;
• Search a trademark at the Intellectual Property office;
• Represent for customers in the whole process of establishing and responding to the Intecllectual Property office about protecting the trademark;
• Draft trademark protection documents;
• Apply and track the trademark protection process at the Intellectual Property office;
• Represent for customers in the whole process of establishing and responding to the Intecllectual Property office about protecting the trademark;
• Discuss, provide informations for customers in the process protection of a trademark registration.

For all information related to beverage products trademark registration & trademark renewal, please contact Viet An Law for specific instructions.