A dispute involving the beloved Cuties-brand of California clementines
has escalated into trademark litigation over millions of dollars and who can control the name.
The
seedless, high-quality, easy-to-peel fruit is an incredibly-successful
product.
California Cutie consists of two
varieties of mandarins: Clementine Mandarins and W. Murcott Mandarins.
Contrary to popular belief, Cuties are not just “little oranges.”
Berne
Evans, the owner of Pasadena, California-based company Sun Pacific, and Stewart
Resnick, owner of Delano, California-based Paramount, began collaborating in
the late 1990's. They agreed in 1999 to grow, pack, market and sell
clementines. They coined the name "CUTIES" for the product they jointly developed in 2001.
In 2004,
the two companies harvested the first major crop of Cuties. By 2011-2012,
Cuties' volume had grown to 75 million boxes of fruit.
However, Paramount and Sun Pacific now claim each owes the other
millions of dollars, and a legal battle involving who has the right to sell Cuties juice has
landed the parties in arbitration.
Previously-filed public court documents show that Paramount
wants $60 million from Sun Pacific and Sun Pacific wants $18 million from
Paramount.
Fortunately for the public,
according to the parties, no impact on supply is expected.
