Oprah Winfrey Files Multiple Trademarks
07 February 2013
Oprah Winfrey, the American television personality with a reported net worth of US$2.7 billion, has recently filed multiple trademark applications under the names of Oprah’s Organics, Oprah’s Harvest and Oprah’s Farm to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The trademark filings, first reported by the New York Post, show that Winfrey is likely to produce and sell food (including organic salad dressings and soups) and health goods, such as moisturizers and lotions.
Winfrey began purchasing land in Hawaii a decade ago and the trademarks “were filed for Oprah’s farm on Maui to enable the farm to grow and distribute produce on Maui and throughout the Hawaiian Island,” said Winfrey’s spokesperson.
Filing the trademarks does not necessarily mean that Winfrey will begin production of what could become popular products, because “the trademark is broader than the intention,” a source with the filings’ knowledge told Forbes. “But you need to cover the name,” or someone else will register the trademark and squat on it.
Regardless, US supermarket trends reflect Winfrey’s product types. “Organic is the hottest growth segment in the supermarket industry,” Robert Vosburgh, who coordinates coverage of fresh foods, grocery and beverage at Supermarket News. “The market is still growing at around 10% a year so there’s room for new products in all categories,” he told Forbes.
