Mmmm… chocolate!
There’s now another type of chocolate! A Swiss chocolate maker has produced a new type of chocolate from the Ruby cocoa bean. The new ruby chocolate, developed by Barry Callebaut (whose chocolate is excellent for making desserts), joins dark, milk, and white as chocolate varieties.
Callebaut has not disclosed how it is produced. It is, therefore, a trade secret.
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Law is not just patents. It encompasses 4 distinct areas: a) Patents, b) Trademarks, c) Copyrights, and d) Trade Secrets. Trade secrets can be an important tool in maintaining the value of your business.
Trade Secrets
There are some famous trade secrets out there. Probably the most famous is the recipe for Coke. Another trade secret you’ve probably consumed is the Colonel’s Secret Recipe at KFC. Yet another is the recipe for Mrs. Field’s Cookies (despite the email you may have received to the contrary.)
But not all trade secrets involve food. The formula for WD-40 is a trade secret. While you can eat the end product, the mechanism of making Krispy Kreme’s warm donuts that jump into my mouth is a trade secret. And arguably the most valuable trade secret today is Google’s Search Algorithm.
Trade Secret Law
Trade Secret Law is governed by state law. There are specific things you need to do to maintain the ability to enforce your trade secret rights against others. Contact us to learn all about trade secrets and how they can be an invaluable part of your business model.
For more detailed history and stories behind some of the most iconic U.S. chocolate makers (including Hershey’s milk chocolate trade secret), I highly recommend the book “The Emperors of Chocolate” by Joël Glenn Brenner.
College Football
It’s Friday, which means we have a great weekend of College Football ahead of us. This weekend Purdue takes on my dad’s alma mater, University of Missouri. Boiler Up!