Avocet chairman responds to 'disingenuous articles'

by DOUG COLLIE

Following our recent articles charting the virtual destruction of James and Linda Christie's Ballinteer Farm in Northern Ireland following Avocet Infinite's ill-fated business partnership with them, Not Just Sheep & Rugby invited Avocet chairman Martin Frost to respond.

The Christies claim to have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds after Avocet ordered the demolition of their farm steading to make way for a 'cow palace', an anaerobic digester plant and other green energy facilities. We asked Mr Frost to address issues surrounding Avocet's activities in Ulster and sent him a number of specific questions.

Tonight Mr Frost sent us his response which we publish in its entirety.

The head of Avocet Natural Capital PLC  wrote: "I thank you for the curtesy (sic) of offering me and Avocet an opportunity to answer the many, many strange if not disingenuous articles you have published on your blog concerning me and Avocet. 

"I shall not dwell on the Data Breaches and for legal reasons I shall not go into a series of ping pong replies particularly as legal action is pending against Mr. David Liddle, Mrs. Aileen Orr, Mr. Tristan Jeffrey, Mr. Sandy Jeffrey, Mr. Neal Thompson, Miss Sarah Shotton and possibly Mr. James Christie (there is some doubt if Mr. Christie is mentally impaired). Quite obviously there has been a considerable breach in Avocet’s NDAs and from your own published articles it is clear from whence your information has come. 

"Anyhow for your edification I enclose two intellectual property articles published by Coller IP in November 2018 which update the unpublished 2016 draft IM you recently referred to. As I noted on Friday 31st July to colleagues: ‘Yesterday’s patent and know how meeting at Basck (Avocet’s patent agents in Cambridge) went much better than I had expected. Avocet despite all the financial hassles has managed to retain salient patents and more importantly know how upon which new patent sub families can be built.

"True we have lost some territorial priority dates but nothing that cannot be rebuilt and enlarged – and indeed it was questionable whether Avocet should have kept such a huge scattergun world approach.

"To keep and retain some of our basic rights Avocet needs to find some £50k by September end and to enhance existing a further £150k. To develop Avocet’s knowhow and build new patents around existing knowhow further funding will be required – possibly as much as £300k but then based upon the same logic and trends of the 2018 Coller IP valuation, Avocet could expect its patent portfolio and know how valuation (based upon potential income stream) then to amount to £150 to £800 million. 

"As matters currently stand – Avocet’s IP (patents & knowhow) is housed in Avocet IP Limited (a subsidiary of ANC Plc) with Avocet IP Limited and ANC Plc making up a Corporation ‘Patent Box’ to which a reduced rate of tax is applicable – such being necessary when cash input to derivable cash output is factored in. 

"An example being the proposed xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  (a world beating fuel) which will require but another £100k or expenditure to secure full patentability but following successful trials on its own could be valued at £200 to £500 million. Note: the old ICI and now Avocet’s family of ‘avocet’ fuel additives are under new regulations (hence our current delay to market) are reclassified as explosives which carry transport restrictions. 

"The new proposed xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx would not have these transportation problems – and hence Avocet will have a vehicular fuel cheaper than fossil oil and cleaner than electricity.

In agriculture, Avocet’s patent family around ‘hydroponics’ remains very robust – with much IP in the world beating category for new methods of food production. Notable, as prior mention are ‘Avocet’s enhanced growing techniques for fodder and fodder hay: ‘grain replication’: and those pertaining to ‘plant derived meats’ to replace traditional livestock farming.’ etc.

"In short, despite all the recent woes, Avocet is in a stronger place than before, and many a right thinking person would consider that your approach should be to encourage Avocet to retain a Scottish position rather than encouraging naysayers to drive Avocet away.

"In conclusion, do you or your compatriots know how many patents, trade secrets, and knowhow Avocet has? Perhaps, you should enquire – for in answer, Avocet holds an extremely valuable IP portfolio which many a multinational would love to have. In truth, your articles along with those of your follow naysayers prism but 1% of what the Avocet concept is."

Mr Frost also attached two documents to his email which we will read tomorrow.