Danone(US:DANOY) 3 6 Ke·2025-12-03 04:16Core Viewpoint - The Supreme People's Court ruled that Danone's design patent for its "Pulse" beverage bottle is invalid due to lack of significant innovation, concluding a four-year intellectual property dispute with Xiaoyangren Biotech Group over the "Kudong" beverage [1][3][5]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - Danone discovered a beverage named "Kudong" in 2021 that closely resembled its "Pulse" product and initiated legal action against Xiaoyangren for unfair competition [3][4]. - Xiaoyangren successfully defended against Danone's claims and challenged the validity of Danone's design patent, which was ultimately declared invalid by the Supreme Court [4][7]. - The courts recognized Danone's "Pulse" packaging as having a certain level of influence and distinctiveness, leading to a ruling against Xiaoyangren for unfair competition, resulting in a compensation of 1.5 million RMB [5][7]. Group 2: Market Position and Strategy - Xiaoyangren managed to protect its trademark and overcome Danone's patent challenge, despite facing a financial penalty and the need to change its packaging [8][14]. - The company has a history of adapting and evolving its product offerings, including launching new health-oriented beverages and innovative packaging designs to regain market competitiveness [14][16]. - Despite efforts to innovate and market effectively, Xiaoyangren's recent product launches have not yielded significant market impact, indicating ongoing challenges in the competitive beverage landscape [16][17].