Chipotle is defending its burrito bowl lane by all means, together with taking Sweetgreen to court docket for his or her new ‘chipotle chicken burrito bowl.’
According to Reuters, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. filed a lawsuit towards the salad chain on Tuesday (April 4) in California. The Mexican meals chain claims Sweetgreen violated its trademark rights within the commercial and sale of its latest menu addition.
Lawsuit paperwork state:
“Chipotle and Sweetgreen are unaffiliated companies who compete in the ‘fast casual’ restaurant industry. still, Sweetgreen is using Chipotle’s famous CHIPOTLE trademark to sell a product that is very similar and directly competitive to Chipotle’s chicken burrito bowl. Sweetgreeen’s conduct constitutes trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and false designation of origin, and deceptive trade practice.”
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Sweetgreen first launched its burrito bowl on March 30. In a information launch, the salad firm revealed the “protein-packed all-grains bowl” is out there in any respect its areas “for a limited time only.” The bowl deviates from its customary menu by providing a bowl “without any greens.” Sweetgreen mentioned an inside research discovered that 70% of their prospects choose rooster as their protein–and that knowledge was used to encourage the ‘Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.’
introducing the ✨chipotle rooster burrito bowl✨ a tastier different to your lunch rotation. pic.twitter.com/AHFrnk2k1v
— sweetgreen (@sweetgreen) March 30, 2023
But the Mexican Grill isn’t shopping for what Sweetgreen is promoting. Instead, the Mexican-inspired restaurant says Sweetgreen is promoting utilizing the trademarked, capitalized model of ‘Chipotle’ and its trademarked ‘Adobo Red’ coloration.
Additionally, lawsuit docs declare Sweetgreen continued to push the product regardless of Chipotle’s cease-and-desist letter and a name to Sweetgreen from their authorized division. They steered that Sweetgreen use the phrase ‘chipotle’ in lowercase to explain the bowl’s elements moderately than capitalizing it within the product’s official identify. An instance listed is “chicken bowl with chipotle.”
Sweetgreen Reportedly Responds To Chipotle Lawsuit
Reuters stories that Sweetgreen launched a press release saying it’s conscious of Chipotle’s lawsuit. However, the salad firm added that it doesn’t touch upon pending litigation. On Thursday, Sweetgreen nonetheless had promotional content material surrounding the burrito bowl posted to its Twitter and Instagram pages. The firm even shared an Insta-Reel celebrating National Burrito Day with a promo code for the “buzzed-about chipotle-chicken burrito bowl.”
The bowl is one among a number of restricted menu gadgets, together with a Hummus Crunch Salad and Asparagus + Roasted Salsa Bowl, that Sweetgreen will provide by way of June 12.
But the Mexican Grill isn’t in search of the product to take care of its restricted availability. Instead, it’s asking an enormous to dam Sweetgreen from utilizing its trademarked identify. Additionally, they need an unspecified sum of money in damages.
Add these to your “in” listing pic.twitter.com/IUpZ0nYOdo
— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) January 23, 2023