Best Practice for FoodTech Startup Trademark Protection

Foodtech is one of the rising industries of today’s age, and it is here to stay. And when you start a Foodtech company, a registered trademark is of utmost importance.

Let’s be honest. We all love food. We can talk about food for a long time, and a large number of our salaries are spent mostly on food. With the rise of technological utilization, many services such as home delivery services are getting more and more popular by the day. Due to this, a new industry known as Foodtech is emerging and is considered to be a lot more than just junk food and home delivery.

Foodtech, consisting of the two words, Food and Technology, is getting immensely popular by the day and has been active for several years. With the digitalization of everything else, food technology has also digitalized and has become an emerging technology. Foodtech provides an efficient solution to many important issues which arise for food giants. Some of the critical issues faced by food giants are protein shift, improved nutrition, farming efficiency, and increased food production.

Foodtech has a lot of potential to grow in the new age and can provide us with revolutionary products like lab-grown meats. The use of Foodtech could end the world’s most significant issues, such as poverty and starvation. Foodtech, such as agricultural reforms and food waste tracking, have a huge hand in ending world hunger.

With multiple Foodtech startups emerging in the market, it is important to realize that the brand name is essential in the Foodtech industry. To gain a competitive advantage over your rival companies or simply help your startup grow, you need to understand that you need a registered Foodtech trademark. When you have a registered foodtech startup trademark, it shows the potential customers that you guarantee better nutrition, better quality, and fresh and healthy products. It is of utmost importance to Foodtech companies to make sure they have the trademark rights of their brand name.

How to Protect your FoodTech Startup

When opening a startup in the foodtech industry, the essential tips that you must keep in mind for Foodtech protection are:

1. Find a Suitable Trademark for your Brand

The business name is one of the fundamental things that help flourish a startup in any industry, whether food or tech (or foodtech). Firstly, you need to search for a trademark. The trademark must be fanciful and distinct so that it lets people know about your services and products. Choosing a trademarked business name can be challenging, but with the right ideas in your mind to convey your message to the people, it can be made easier.

No doubt, the business name for your foodtech startup should be different. But, do not opt for a name that does not represent your business in any way. To develop a good trademark name, learn more about your competitors and evaluate their businesses to extract the tips and tricks you can use to choose a trademark of your own.

2. Identify Key Classes

When you have decided the name of your foodtech startup, it is now time to search for trademark registration. For a trademark to be legit, it needs to be registered. So, look for trademark registration procedures. When you are aware of registering your trademark, the next thing you should do is apply for the registration. Keep in mind that you need to be applying in a particular product category that is suitable for you.

The product categories which are different for many different types of trademarks are known as trademark classes. The trademark classes depend upon the nature of your business. The relevant trademark classes in the foodtech industry are:

• Computer and Software Products and Electrical and Scientific Products (Class 9) - If you offer services in the foodtech market relating to apps and software, you should include class 9 (software and apps) in your search. Furthermore, if you provide any electronic devices that need to be connected to foodtech solutions, class 9 is the right classification for registering your trademark.
• Machinery Products, Meat and Processed Food Products, Staple Food Products, Natural Agricultural Products, Light Beverage Products, Wines and Spirits (Classes 7, 29-33) - Your footech startup is most probably going to involve foodstuff production. For matters like production and handling foodstuff, classes 7, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 are the best classes. You should definitely look in these classes if you provide foodstuff.
• Computer and Software Services and Scientific Services (Class 42) - Research your trademark in class 42 if you provide any digital services regarding foodtech and other SaaS-type services.

3. Register your Trademark in your Key Markets

After searching for registration in your relevant class, the next thing is to apply in your key trademark markets for registration. Suppose you would like your startup to be applied for registration in the European Union. In that case, you can apply with just one trademark application for registration in all the member states of the European Union. Similarly, other countries also have their key markets, which you can apply in.

4. Monitor your Trademark

After you have applied for trademark registration in the appropriate classes for your preferred key trademark markets, it will take some time to process your trademark request. In a while, you will get your trademark registered. Remember that merely registering the brand name would not ensure 100% security and protection.

To deal with the misuse of your trademark, regularly keep checking and monitoring your registered trademark so that no other business in the market steals it. After successfully registering, applying, and then getting a registered and legit trademark, it is less likely for other startups in the market to steal your trademark if you keep monitoring your brand name consistently.

Contact a trademark adviser