🌾 Nice Class 31: Agriculture & Plants
The EUIPO register holds 86,393 trademarks in Class 31, the class for raw agricultural products, seeds, plants and animal feed (as of July 2026). (as of July 2026).
86,393
Marks in the EU register
52,642
Registered with the EUIPO
+7 %
Growth 2020–2024
48 %
Word mark share
Class 31 is the class of the unprocessed: it covers raw agricultural, horticultural and forestry products, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, natural plants and flowers, live animals and animal feed. The EUIPO register holds 86,393 trademarks in Class 31, of which 52,642 are registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data). The class is growing noticeably: new registrations rose from 4,011 in 2020 to 4,308 in 2024, a 7 percent increase, with another 3,965 added in 2025. The top filers come as a surprise: the leader is not a seed company but Mars with 499 trademarks, largely thanks to its pet food business, because animal feed belongs in Class 31. Next come snack maker Intersnack (341), Nestlé (282), rose breeder W. Kordes' Söhne (265) and Lidl (191). On the type of mark, the class sits in the middle of the field: 48 percent of trademarks are word marks, and growers in particular also rely heavily on figurative marks and seal-of-quality designs.
What belongs in Class 31?
Class 31 covers raw and unprocessed products from agriculture, horticulture, forestry and aquaculture: fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh herbs, seeds, natural plants and flowers, bulbs and seedlings, live animals, plus foodstuffs and litter for animals, and malt. The line runs at processing: as soon as a product is cooked, preserved, frozen or roasted, it changes class. Preserved vegetables and roasted nuts belong in Class 29, flour and baked goods in Class 30. Raw nuts, however, stay in Class 31, a detail that explains why snack manufacturers file so heavily in this class.
Typical examples: Fresh fruit/vegetables, live plants, animal feed
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 31
Most active applicants in Class 31
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mars Incorporated | 499 |
| 2 | Intersnack Group Gmbh & Co Kg | 341 |
| 3 | Société Des Produits Nestlé Sa | 282 |
| 4 | W Kordes' Söhne Rosenschulen Gmbh & Co Kg | 265 |
| 5 | Lidl Stiftung & Co Kg | 191 |
| 6 | Syngenta Crop Protection Ag | 189 |
| 7 | Affinity Petcare Sa | 171 |
| 8 | Rosen Tantau Kg | 162 |
| 9 | H Von Gimborn Gmbh | 138 |
| 10 | Lackmann Fleisch- Und Feinkostfabrik Gmbh | 137 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
When in doubt, do not file Class 31 on its own: in practice it is most often combined with Class 29 (processed foods), Class 30 (baked goods, flour, spices) and Class 35 (direct sales, online shop, retail). Plan your range from its final stage backwards, because the list of goods and services cannot be extended after filing: a seed supplier quickly becomes a shop with garden supplies, and a farm becomes a brand with processed products. Also check whether your name qualifies as a word mark. And search the register first, because even in this niche class very active filers such as Mars, Intersnack, Nestlé and Lidl are on the move.
Common mistakes with Class 31
The classic mistake in Class 31: missing the processing boundary. A farm shop with its own brand sells fresh vegetables (Class 31), but also jam (Class 29) and bread (Class 30), so filing Class 31 alone leaves two thirds of the shelf unprotected. Second mistake: relying on a logo or seal alone. Only 48 percent of trademarks in Class 31 are word marks, yet with producer brands the name is exactly what customers recommend to each other. Third, breeders underestimate the interplay between variety and trademark: the official variety denomination has to remain freely usable and cannot serve as a trademark. That is why professionals like rose breeder Kordes register separate trade names as trademarks and market their varieties under them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What belongs in Nice Class 31?
Class 31 covers raw and unprocessed products: fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, natural plants and flowers, live animals, animal feed and malt. The raw state is what matters: preserved or cooked vegetables belong in Class 29, flour and bread in Class 30.
Why is Mars, of all companies, the top filer in Class 31?
Because animal feed falls under Class 31 and Mars runs a large pet food business. According to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), Mars leads with 499 trademarks, ahead of Intersnack (341), Nestlé (282), rose breeder W. Kordes' Söhne (265) and Lidl (191). The list shows the range of the class: from pet food to raw nuts to roses.
My farm shop sells both fresh and processed goods. Is Class 31 enough?
No. Class 31 only covers the raw produce, such as fresh vegetables, fruit and eggs from your own farm. Jam, pickled vegetables and dairy products belong in Class 29, bread and baked goods in Class 30. A brand covering the whole range therefore typically combines Classes 31, 29 and 30.
Which classes are typically combined with Class 31?
Most often Class 29 and Class 30 for processed foods, plus Class 35 for direct sales, retail and online shops. A seed or plant mail-order business with its own shop covers the basics with 31 and 35, and adds the food classes depending on its range.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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