Orkla loses Danish court battle over ‘ostepops’ definition

The Maritime and Commercial High Court in Denmark has ruled against Orkla in a legal dispute regarding the definition of ‘ostepops’ (cheese puffs). Orkla, which owns the chip manufacturer Kims, sought to change the dictionary definition maintained by Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab.

Orkla argued that the current definition—describing an ostepop as a ‘crispy, yellow or orange, curved snack made of cornmeal and with the taste of cheddar cheese’—is too generic. The company contended that this wording implies ‘ostepops’ is a generic product type rather than a specific trademarked brand, potentially allowing competitors to use similar names like ‘ostesnack’ or ‘ostereje."

The court dismissed the lawsuit, maintaining the existing definition. The ruling means Orkla failed in its attempt to ensure the term is recognized as a Kims trademark within the Danish language and dictionaries.