Judge rules ‘Gruyere’ is a common food name, term not exclusive to Europe
Industry groups call it a victory for U.S. cheese producers, dairy farmers.
A judicial ruling determined that “Gruyere” is a generic style of cheese that can come from anywhere. The decision reaffirms that all cheesemakers, not just those in France or Switzerland, can continue to create and market cheese under this common name, according to a press release from the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN).
In the judicial decision made public on Jan. 6, CCFN, USDEC and NMPF said they and a coalition of other dairy stakeholders prevailed in their sustained fight to preserve the ability of all actors in the U.S. marketplace to use generic terms.