OAPI countries recognise the Geographical Indication and Kenya registers the trademark
The Prosecco DOC Protection Consortium is pleased to announce two important milestones in the international protection of the appellation: on 28 February 2025, the registration of the Prosecco trademark in Kenya was made official, while on 31 December 2024, the countries belonging to the OAPI* (African Intellectual Property Organisation) recognised the Geographical Indication. It is therefore official that only Prosecco that complies with the production regulations can be marketed under this name in Kenya and in OAPI territories, protecting Italian consumers and producers.
In Kenya, the trademark registration is valid for ten years from 29 May 2024, while the application submitted to OAPI is valid indefinitely. Both procedures were completed without any opposition from third parties.
The African continent, which is still marginal in terms of export volumes (0.2%), is establishing itself as an area of great potential for the future of Italian exports. With a young population and a steadily growing middle class that is increasingly oriented towards global markets, Africa is proving to be a strategic market for long-term development.
“Over the years, the Consortium has pursued a structured and forward-looking strategy to protect the designation, extending the protection of Prosecco in the main international markets through trademark or geographical indication registration. Today, the focus is on countries with high strategic potential, characterised by a strong influx of tourists and particularly dynamic economic growth prospects, such as the African continent. The recent recognitions will be useful tools for the Consortium to evaluate future actions, always aiming to increase exports to these new emerging markets as well,”
