Nestlé targets Seattle cold brew company in trademark dispute
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Global food giant Nestlé is trying to force a small coffee company, Seattle Strong, to change its name, claiming it infringes on the Seattle's Best brand Nestlé acquired in 2022.
Why it matters: The fight raises a bigger question: can only one coffee company claim trademark rights in the word "Seattle" — or can the Emerald City's cool, caffeinated cachet be shared?
What's happening: Nestlé recently filed a petition asking the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the trademark it issued two years ago to Seattle Strong, a cold brew company formed in Seattle in 2017.
- The trademark office's appeal board set a timeline for the case this week, with a trial expected next year.
What they're saying: Nestlé, which is based in Switzerland, argues that Seattle Strong's name is so similar to Seattle's Best that coffee buyers may confuse the two brands.
- The similarity is also "likely to dilute the distinctiveness of Nestlé's Seattle's Best mark" and could damage the company, Nestlé writes.
Seattle Strong, which started as a college project at the University of Washington, argues that confusion is unlikely, given that Seattle Strong exclusively focuses on cold brew. The Seattle's Best brand sells a variety of coffee products, including whole-bean coffee and Keurig pods.
- Seattle Strong also says it "would suffer undue prejudice" by having to change its branding now, after building a business around its trademark for the past few years.
The other side: "They seem to think they own the name Seattle," Seattle Strong founder Evan Oeflein said in a video posted this week.
- "It just doesn't seem right to us," Oeflein said, noting that the company's headquarters and operations remain in Seattle.
- Nestlé didn't immediately reply to Axios' request for comment Thursday.
What we're watching: Seattle Strong has launched a GoFundMe to help cover legal expenses.