Nestle sues Sara Lee over Nespresso coffee makers

PARIS (AP) - Nestle SA says it has launched a patent infringement lawsuit against U.S. rival Sara Lee Corp. over a product that it says unfairly uses its popular capsule-based Nespresso coffee machines.

Nestle said Tuesday it is sueing Sara Lee in France, where the U.S. company recently launched its own coffee capsules - L'Or Espresso - that are compatible with Nestle's Nespresso coffee makers.

The Swiss company said it was acting "to defend our intellectual property rights."

A spokesman for Sara Lee in Europe said the company "is confident that our product complies with all legal and regulatory requirements."

Sara Lee, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, has sold 12 million of its L'Or Espresso capsules in France since the product was launched here two months ago, Duran said.