ATM - A2 Milk Corporation Limited

**visionary** · 02-07-2018, 08:57 AM

Sideshow Bob, I have read through the information you provided, some of which I knew about (I had done quite a lot of reading alongside "the numbers" and am not surprised that they have a "suite of patents and trademarks" to protect their product and research, however I have noted comments from other posters on here that competition is ramping up abroad, I have noted specifically and predominantly from Nestle among others.

How can these international conglomerates identify and produce this product, are the A2 "suite" of protections insufficient?
I am also curious as to the actual patents held, as depending on where they are registered do they hold a shorter/longer life before generic competition can come into play?
I would be very interested to know what A2 has in store to protect their product once patents expire, if almost all Asian cows and a smaller percentage of western herds contain only A2 beta-casein protein.

I will do my own research, but if anyone knows the answers to these questions or has further reading for me to digest, I would be most grateful.

**peat** · 02-07-2018, 12:40 PM

i've said it before but I'll say it again
You cant patent A2 milk.

**Leftfield** · 02-07-2018, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by visionary

.....How can these international conglomerates identify and produce this product, are the A2 "suite" of protections insufficient?
I am also curious as to the actual patents held, as depending on where they are registered do they hold a shorter/longer life before generic competition can come into play? I would be very interested to know what A2 has in store to protect their product once patents expire, if almost all Asian cows and a smaller percentage of western herds contain only A2 beta-casein protein.

I'll give you a brief response and for the rest you need to DYOR.

In the early Howard Patterson days of A2 milk (long before I invested) there were tales of A2 being very litigious and righteous in its stance that people selling A1 milk (Frontera) were selling an allegedly unhealthy product. After the untimely and sad demise of Patterson, there was a change of management and a change of stance by A2 (I stress IMO.) ATM shifted from potentially indignant litigation to marketing A2 milk in Australia and then the UK as their priority. Along the way they established a suite of patents around herd selection and copyright use around the A2 logo etc.

The recent example of litigation re A1/A2 milk marketing in Australia, is to me is an example of ATM's pragmatic approach to its patent protection (the FY18 accounts will perhaps give us more of an idea of the nature of this settlement) In this litigation it seemed ATM got some protection and clarification of its claims which it subsequently used by modifying its logo and claims re "milk free of A1 protein' etc.

Some people expected instant litigation from ATM re Nestle's recent incursion into A2 IF in China. I suspect that ATM is biding its time, and will only take legal action once it has evidence of 'damage' etc. All this takes time. (Others will no doubt have other ideas re this...DOYR)

Going forward, it is obvious there will be competitors and others marketing A2 milk (just as there are other cola drinks crowding Coca Cola's space) These competitors can only grow the total market, and provide some healthy competition for ATM.

I'm not a fan of lawyers and long costly law cases, and although I am not privy to knowledge of ATM's suite of patents, I think their current strategy of concentrating on sales, marketing and building cash reserves will serve them well re any future litigation. ATM will only fight battles when it suits them and when they are confident that they can win.

One only needs to look at the protracted costly cases surrounding Samsung and Apple, to see that ATM's current pragmatic approach is very wise.

**Ggcc** · 02-07-2018, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by peat

i've said it before but I'll say it again
You cant patent A2 milk.

I believe you can’t patent “this milk contains A2 protein”, but you can patent the logo of A2 and possibly the name. Let’s see what happens when someone does use A2 as their brand...... Atwo was used so even Nestle don’t dare try....... Yet