Having assessed the Latvian trademarks registered in Latvia and Europe, the expert committee of the Latvian Patent Office has selected the first eight applicants for the main award of the Trademark of the Year 2024 competition. From now on, once a quarter, in a series of publications, we will introduce the companies – owners of creative, expressive and witty trademarks, candidates for the main award of the competition selected in various nominations.
Nomination: Trademark of the Year – for Latvia
DUKA – the trademark based on old traditions
In 2006, the businessman Aigars Ruņģis and his like-minded fellows began to restore Valmiermuiža, destroyed by wars and time, to brew good beer unhurriedly in the place with centuries-old brewing traditions. The old traditions are a solid foundation for the company’s growth, and now the team of Valmiermuiža craft brewery, comprising more than 100 people, provides beer, seltzer, and porter lovers in Latvia and beyond the country's borders with the drinks made in Valmiera.
DUKA is the first isotonic and non-alcoholic beer in Latvia, brewed for fans of a sporty lifestyle. Such a drink refreshes and strengthens after physical exertion, quickly restoring lost body fluid and energy reserves. The owner of Valmiermuiža beer Aigars Runģis talks about the creation of DUKA: “Less than ten years ago, we renewed the Kokmuižas alus darītava brand. Under this brand, we have already been producing non-alcoholic beers with apt and expressive names – Celmlauzis (pioneer), Brīze (breeze), Dubultspēle (double). As for the first isotonic non-alcoholic beer for athletes, we were also looking for a vigorous Latvian name that would best reflect the mood and characteristics of the drink. DUKA (energy, vim, vitality) turned out to be the most suitable.”
Nomination: Trademark of the Year – for Europe
Make complicated things simple
IziPizi LLC started its activities three years ago with the idea of providing quick and easy delivery of products made by local farmers and craftsmen to customers. In order to implement this intention, a modern infrastructure has been created which operates as a self-service store for the goods produced by farmers and maintains the temperature necessary for food storage throughout the entire supply cycle. The company also provides crowdsourcing IT solutions to help food producers reach farther markets.
For small producers, goods delivery to customers is often difficult and expensive. Using a food parcel locker installed in Dundaga, local farmers can quickly and safely deliver goat cheese, fruit, vegetables, or smoked foods to customers in Riga for 1,50 to 3,50 euros without worrying about the time and fuel spent on the road and in the city’s traffic jams.
The idea of the trademark came directly from the talks with small producers. “Our farmers are able to prepare a wide range of high-quality products, but all of them agree that goods delivery is expensive, time-consuming, and complicated. We work to make delivery easy, so, the trademark "izipiziAPP" was born as a play on the combination of foreign words popular with Latvians,” explains the company’s head Rolands Dzenis.