Question

Roslyn is a food buyer for Organic Cornucopia Food Company when she decides to go into business for herself as Roslyn’s Kitchen. She contacts Organic’s suppliers, offering to buy their entire harvest for the next year, and Organic’s customers, offering to sell her products for less than her ex-employer’s prices. Has Roslyn violated any of the intellectual property rights discussed in this chapter? Explain.

Answer 1

Of course she has, Roslyn stole Organic Cornucopia's trade secrets. She is specifically contacting their vendors and customers.

Even though you cannot register a list of vendors or customers, they are considered trade secrets that must not be given away or used against the company by their employees or former employees in this case. Even if Roslyn's contract with Organic Cornucopia didn't include a trade secrets clause, it is reasonable that employees cannot act against the company using them and she was very direct, there are no excuses here.