SANTIAGO, Chile – Greece has secured a major legal victory in its ongoing effort to protect the authenticity of feta cheese abroad.
A Chilean court last week rejected an appeal from a U.S. multinational, affirming that the name “feta” belongs exclusively to Greece.
The decision by Chile’s second-degree court on industrial property came after the Association of Hellenic Industries of Dairy Products (SEVGAP) challenged the use of the name by Lactalis, a U.S.-based company producing a cheese called “Athenos Feta.” The appeal, lodged by the Consortium of Common Food Names (CCFN) on behalf of Lactalis, was dismissed on Thursday, upholding an earlier ruling by Chile’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI).
This ruling marks another milestone in Greece’s campaign to safeguard feta as a protected designation of origin, ensuring that only cheese produced in Greece using traditional methods can bear the name. The victory reinforces the cultural and economic significance of feta to the Greek dairy industry, thwarting efforts by foreign producers to capitalize on its reputation.