Patents- Food ingredients

Toby1990

Hello,

Not sure where to put this..

Are you able to get patents on food ingredients ? Ie a certain mix of ingredients ?

Thanks

purplephoenix85

Hi Toby,

As far as I know, you can protect a recipe by copyright - but technically it is the piece of paper that has the recipe written on it that will retain the copyright. If a unique recipe has been copied elsewhere, unauthorised, it is a breach of copyright. The unique name of the recipe/meal could be registered as trademark/copyright but I'm sorry I don't know how the system would work on the actual product.meal itself.

HTH

geordie_joe

Toby1990 wrote: »

Hello,

Not sure where to put this..

Are you able to get patents on food ingredients ? Ie a certain mix of ingredients ?

Thanks

I wouldn't think so, just look at all the food that is copied. One man invents baked beans in tomato sauce, and loads of other companies start making them.

Even if you could patent a certain mix of ingredients, someone else would just vary the mix slightly.

One company invents Coke, and loads of others start selling a variation on it.

Toby1990

mmm, thought that would be the case. Reason I asked was that if I made this mix of ingredients and maybe got an order of 5000 bottles, and then it just got bigger from there but just in a local place, then maybe some of the big boys could just think, thats a good mix of ingredients and they would have millions of dollars to market it and make it global. Like 50 cent created Vitamin water and sold it for £50million but why didnt that company just create there own kind that was similar but change the name slightly.

Thats why I thought there may be some like copy right behind create drink mixes etc. Suppose it's just how it's marketed though.

I do think it would make a good product but wouldn't have a clue where to start, who to tell and if they knew how to get it off the ground then maybe could nick it lol!

twentyninetimes

Maybe look into Levi Roots' experiences (founder of Reggae Reggae sauce). He started with selling his sauce at Notting Hill carnival and nows it's literally everywhere from supermarkets to Dominos to Subway!
MSE won't let me post a link as I'm a new member but if you Google Levi Roots story, you can read about how he set his business up.

liam8282

I am no expert on this by any stretch of the imagination, but you should be able to protect your recipe, your product and your brand.

It is your brand that is the only thing that is really worth anything, because as you say people can just come along and make similar products, but what makes people buy yours over theirs is usually the quality or popularity of the brand.

Looking online 50 cent obtained a 10% share in the business to endorse vitamin water, thus boosting the value of the product and the brand. Perhaps if you gave him a call and offered him 10% of your business he might do the same for you?!

Toby1990

lol My mate said about Levi Roots when I told him. It would be kind of similar for how I would sell the product. In an ideal world it would be great if I could obtain the recipe, then get a company to buy it off me lol But obviously it doesnt work like that!

I might twitter him to see if he wants in lol

I would to find someone with money who could market it nationally and get people to buy it, then I would hope someone would come along and say I'll give you £10million for it.

jan1ey

Toby, it might be an idea to give the supermarkets buying departments a call and see if they will run a trial of your product.. that way, you could get yourself into the supermarkets before anyone else copies them... and by doing a trail.. then it shouldnt be a massive outlay.. and if they want more, it gives you the grounding to be able to go and ask the bank manager for funding

Toby1990

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I'll do a bit more research into, havnt even mixed it up or anything yet lol Just when I'm sleeping I try and think of ideas and that all it is. I'd have to come up with packaging a catchy name etc

jan1ey

Toby1990 wrote: »

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I'll do a bit more research into, havnt even mixed it up or anything yet lol Just when I'm sleeping I try and think of ideas and that all it is. I'd have to come up with packaging a catchy name etc

I am sure you will do great...

Nosht

Most manufacturing food & drink businesses have laboratories & recipe departments that are continually researching & trying out different blends in order to stay ahead of competitors & make sure that they are safe to use as, by law, a percentage of all batches of produce must be scientifically tested.
Probably better to produce & sell you own on a very small scale with a recognised brand name first, then hope that it will be taken over by a biggie.

N.