The European patent authorities have endorsed patents attached to Nestle SA's (NESN.VX) Nespresso coffee machine and its capsules, Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said Thursday.

"These will continue to provide adequate protection to our intellectual property," Bulcke told the company's Annual General Meeting in Lausanne.

This put the company in a good position against its generic rivals, Bulcke added.

Nestle's Nespresso business has been fighting legal battles against such rivals as the private Ethical Coffee Co. and Swiss discounter Denner as well as Sara Lee Corp. (SLE), which have launched their own versions of capsule coffee that are compatible with Nestle's machines.

The Swiss food company has sought to defend Nespresso, which has grown into a business with sales of more than 3 billion Swiss francs in 2011 and profit margins among the highest in the company.

-By John Revill, Dow Jones Newswires; +41 43 443 8042 ; john.revill@dowjones.com

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