Europe: UPC Court of Appeal Rules NUC and Warmcook Do Not Infringe Hurom Juicer Patent

NUC and its European distribution partner Warmcook are once again free to market their Auto 10 slow juicer across several European countries after the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Court of Appeal overturned a previous infringement ruling in favor of patent holder Hurom.

The dispute centers on European Patent EP 2 028 981, which relates to juice extractor technology. In March 2025, the Mannheim local division of the UPC ruled that NUC and Warmcook had infringed the patent, leading to a ban on distributing the Auto 10 slow juicer in Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, and the Netherlands.

The Mannheim division also separated the issue of damages for alleged infringement in countries outside the UPC’s jurisdiction, including Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The court opted to await guidance from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the BSH Hausgeräte vs Electrolux case, which addressed cross-border injunctions. The CJEU issued its decision on February 25, 2025.

In a subsequent October ruling, the Mannheim division held that NUC’s European subsidiary and distributor Warmcook infringed the patent, while the Korean parent company did not. The court also found the European entities liable for damages in Poland, Spain, and the UK, but excluded Turkey from the decision.

Both sides appealed. NUC and Warmcook challenged the infringement finding, while Hurom appealed the jurisdiction ruling relating to Turkey.

Late last week, the UPC Court of Appeal overturned the first-instance decision. The panel, led by presiding judge Klaus Grabinski, ruled that NUC’s Auto 10 slow juicer does not infringe Hurom’s EP 981 patent. As a result, Hurom’s appeal regarding jurisdiction over Turkey was also dismissed.

The broader dispute between the companies continues in parallel proceedings. Hurom has also filed claims at the UPC’s Paris local division concerning a separate patent, EP 3 155 936, involving different NUC products. In May 2025, the Paris division dismissed Hurom’s infringement claim, finding the patent invalid. Hurom has appealed that decision, with a hearing scheduled later this week.

The ruling represents a significant victory for NUC and Warmcook, allowing them to resume marketing and distribution of the Auto 10 slow juicer across multiple European markets while the remaining litigation continues.