Parties in cheese trial grilled about trade secrets

FORT COLLINS – A decision is expected soon in a dispute between two local cheese-making companies over whether one stole the other’s trade secrets.

Larimer County District Court Judge John-David Sullivan heard arguments March 26-28 in a suit filed by the now-defunct Bingham Hill Cheese Co. of Fort Collins against Morning Fresh Cheese Co. in Bellvue.

In March 2006, the owners of Bingham Hill, Tom and Kristi Johnson, sued Morning Fresh and its owners, Robert and Lori Graves, along with Mathew Lucas, general manager of the Graves’ Morning Fresh Dairy, and Brad LaRocco. LaRocco is a former cheese maker for Bingham Hill…