Cincinnati, Sept. 23 - The Procter & Gamble Company has filed a patent lawsuit against Kraft Foods Inc., manufacturer of the Maxwell House Coffee brand.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati, alleges that the new four-pound plastic container for Maxwell House coffee, now being introduced in the U.S., directly infringes key Procter & Gamble patents on Folgers Coffee.
In 2003, P&G introduced Folgers Coffee in a consumer-preferred plastic container. This innovation has grown the Folgers business for the past five years.
"We made large investments to overcome the technical challenges in making a lightweight plastic container that can withstand the pressure changes that occur between the factory and the consumer's home," said Steve Jemison, P&G chief legal officer. "Many innovations in this container are covered by P&G patents, which we believe Maxwell House has infringed. We must protect our intellectual property," he said.
The lawsuit seeks to stop Kraft Foods from selling the infringing Maxwell House Coffee package. It also seeks recovery of damages.