Kerry Ingredients (UK) Ltd v Bakkavor Group Ltd [2016] EWHC 2448 (Ch)
This was a claim for misuse of confidential information relating to the manufacturing techniques and recipe used to make edible infused oils such as basil oil. The court held that in developing their own process for manufacturing edible infused oils, the defendants had misused information confidential to the claimant and that injunctive relief should be granted.
The court also held that the information relied on had limited confidentiality in the sense that the defendants were able to replicate the claimant’s production techniques using information in the public domain. The springboard doctrine was therefore in point. The court granted an injunction of limited duration to reflect the court’s finding that the defendants had gained a headstart of a year as a result of their misuse of the claimant’s confidential information.
Chris Aikens appeared as sole counsel for the defendants.
Kerry Ingredients (UK) Ltd v Bakkavor Group Ltd [2016] EWHC 2448 (Ch)