ATM - A2 Milk Corporation Limited

[Nasi Goreng]

Nasi is loving this debate.

My understanding of pharmaceutical companies is that when they have a major scientific break through, they are able to make supernormal profits as demand increases for their product and while their patents last. Over time, demand may still increase as more players enter the market but this does tend to have a negative impact on price. I imagine pharmaceutical companies buy patents from other companies with mountains of cash produced on product A during patent period and then launch product B... and the cycle continues.

A2 are currently doing a great job building and growing a brand/product niche. Fonterra (or other) may be perfectly poised to market their own products at such time they have sufficient herds of A2 cows etc. which might be right around the time A2 patents run out. Who will fill A2's cans then? and what negotiating power might a manufacturer have?

[hardt]

Nasi is loving this debate.

My understanding of pharmaceutical companies is that when they have a major scientific break through, they are able to make supernormal profits as demand increases for their product and while their patents last. Over time, demand may still increase as more players enter the market but this does tend to have a negative impact on price. I imagine pharmaceutical companies buy patents from other companies with mountains of cash produced on product A during patent period and then launch product B... and the cycle continues.

A2 are currently doing a great job building and growing a brand/product niche. Fonterra (or other) may be perfectly poised to market their own products at such time they have sufficient herds of A2 cows etc. which might be right around the time A2 patents run out. Who will fill A2's cans then? and what negotiating power might a manufacturer have?

A2MC patents do not prohibit anyone from selling their own milk free of the A1 protein currently.

The issue with Lion was their product had more than trace amounts of A1 ... with a massive sticker on the front saying:
"naturally contains A2"

A2MC own an incredible trademark

[peat]

yep, I will repeat for the third time I think, that you cannot patent A2 milk.
You can only patent a process to test the cow and find out what type of milk it will produce.

[Sideshow Bob]

yep, I will repeat for the third time I think, that you cannot patent A2 milk.
You can only patent a process to test the cow and find out what type of milk it will produce.

Yep, just about how you sell/brand/market it.

[Vish]

Yep, just about how you sell/brand/market it.

And majority of these companies love to push the boundaries on marketing.

[greenglass]

"yep, I will repeat for the third time I think, that you cannot patent A2 milk.
You can only patent a process to test the cow and find out what type of milk it will produce."

Sorry peat, but I believe you're wrong. They're not patenting the product but the BRAND, "A2"
Have you noticed that Fonterra have been very careful to avoid the use of that name? That's what the law suit with Lion is all about ( that Lion claims to have "A2 "in their product ). Look at Coca Cola, nobody else is allowed to use that name, but there are plenty of cola based fizzy drinks on the market.
This is a very powerful marketing advantage.

[freddagg]

"yep, I will repeat for the third time I think, that you cannot patent A2 milk.
You can only patent a process to test the cow and find out what type of milk it will produce."

Sorry peat, but I believe you're wrong. They're not patenting the product but the BRAND, "A2"
Have you noticed that Fonterra have been very careful to avoid the use of that name? That's what the law suit with Lion is all about ( that Lion claims to have "A2 "in their product ). Look at Coca Cola, nobody else is allowed to use that name, but there are plenty of cola based fizzy drinks on the market.
This is a very powerful marketing advantage.

Either way A2 sounds like an inferior product to A1

[peat]

Sorry peat, but I believe you're wrong. They're not patenting the product but the BRAND, "A2"
.............
This is a very powerful marketing advantage.

It may be, sure.
But, ultimately someone else can sell the same product and attribute it with the same benefits even though it has to be called something else.
Samsung didnt have to call their phone the Iphone for it to catch on. (even though they ripped it off completely). And now Samsung corner the smartphone market by numbers I think.

[couta1]

It may be, sure.
But, ultimately someone else can sell the same product and attribute it with the same benefits even though it has to be called something else.
Samsung didnt have to call their phone the Iphone for it to catch on. (even though they ripped it off completely). And now Samsung corner the smartphone market by numbers I think.

ATM has first mover advantage and all that goes with that, will be years away before any other player could threaten their position, current holders are making hay while the sun is shining and will have large haystacks before that time comes.

[NZSilver]

Branding is so key in the IF market. I wouldn't be too worried about the patents.