Anniversary

115 years of the Melitta^® word mark

10.09.2026

115 years ago, on September 13, 1911, Melitta and Hugo Bentz registered the word mark "Melitta" for coffee filters, file number 156 696/21. The protection is still valid today.

From invention to registered trademark

This was preceded by the invention of the coffee filter: in 1908, Melitta Bentz placed a sheet of blotting paper in a perforated brass cup in Dresden and used it to filter clear, sentence-free coffee for the first time. This invention gave rise to a company. With the word mark of 1911, it became a legally protected trademark.

In the decades that followed, Melitta consistently expanded this protection. In 1913, another word mark was added for household and kitchen appliances, filter paper and cooking and heating appliances. In 1925, the company applied for a circled "M" as a trademark, registered on 21 August 1925, as well as the red-green packaging colour that is still used today. In 1932, the first lettering based on the handwriting of Melitta Bentz was created. In December 1939, the lettering, which is still characteristic today and looks like handwritten, was registered as a trademark.

"A name that was registered for a coffee filter in 1911 now stands for a globally active company," says Angela Colaci, Head of the Melitta Group's Intellectual Property Rights Department. "Every new idea, every new product gets the chance to grow under a name that people already trust." 

Brand protection in global competition

Colaci continues: "In global competition, a brand can be a decisive difference. It creates recognizability, trust and an emotional connection. The difference to the past lies mainly in speed and complexity. Brands today are used on many channels and in many countries at the same time." 

Today, the Melitta Group's trademark portfolio comprises around 17,100 active registrations worldwide, from the original word mark to various logos, product lines and other signs.

"Brand management means managing the brand consistently, making its values visible and developing it further in such a way that it remains relevant," concludes the Head of Intellectual Property Rights.

About Melitta

Melitta is an internationally active group of companies and is one of the well-known independent family-owned companies, not only in Germany. With around 5,500 employees, activities in 75 countries worldwide and an annual turnover of 2.53 billion euros (2025), the group develops, produces and sells branded products for coffee enjoyment, for the storage and preparation of food and for cleanliness in the home.