Latest news with #Bright&Mellow
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Danone sues Chobani over cold brew coffee slogan, packaging
Danone has embarked on legal action in the US against rival dairy group Chobani, over the packaging and marketing of the companies' cold-brew coffee products. The lawsuit, filed in New York, alleges Chobani's La Colombe cold brew uses packaging and a slogan 'strikingly similar' to Danone's Stok coffee. According to the filing, Chobani's product allegedly mimics Danone's 'Bright & Mellow' slogan. The French food and drinks giant said Chobani's infringement of its intellectual property rights has been 'knowing, calculated, and systematic'. 'Not only did Chobani adopt a trademark that was exactly the same as the unique and distinctive BRIGHT & MELLOW trademark used by Danone in connection with ready-to-drink cold brew coffee products, but it significantly altered its product packaging at the same time to more closely match Danone's distinctive packaging as well,' it added. The 'actions enable and have already enabled Chobani to free ride on Danone's reputation and goodwill', the Activia brand owner said. Chobani did not respond to Just Drinks' requests for comment. Danone said: 'We stand by the Stok Cold Brew Coffee brand that we have built and will not comment further on this active litigation.' The legal confrontation is not unprecedented, as Danone has previously sued Chobani at least twice in the past decade over advertising claims. Danone's latest complaint states it began using 'Bright & Mellow' in January 2021 to set itself apart from competitors such as Starbucks and La Colombe. It goes on to say that, after Chobani acquired La Colombe for $900m in December 2023, the US company replaced La Colombe's 'Bright & Flavorful' with 'Bright & Mellow' on its coffee packaging. The changes are 'likely to cause, have caused, and will continue to cause confusion, mistake, and deception in the minds of consumers', particularly in retail outlets such as Kroger, Target, and Walmart. Danone argues the similarities in packaging and slogan could mislead consumers, especially those making quick purchasing decisions. It is seeking a court injunction to prevent Chobani from using the slogan and demands monetary damages, including profits from the sales of the contested products. "Danone sues Chobani over cold brew coffee slogan, packaging " was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chobani sued by Danone for allegedly copying cold brew packaging
This story was originally published on Food Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Food Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Danone sued competitor Chobani for allegedly copying the slogan and packaging of its cold brew coffee line, calling it the latest "the latest in a long line of efforts on the part of Chobani to unfairly compete" with the Paris-based company. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims Chobani's La Colombe cold brew uses "strikingly similar" black-and-yellow packaging to Danone's Stōk coffee. Chobani's product also allegedly copied Danone's "Bright & Mellow" slogan, the suit said. Danone is requesting a judge to issue an injunction against Chobani to prevent the company from using the slogan. It's also asking for monetary damages, including all of Chobani's profits from selling the products that used the similar packaging. Dive Insight: This isn't the first time two of the biggest food companies in the U.S. have duked it out in court. Danone has sued Chobani at least two other times in the last 10 years over its advertising claims. In 2016, it convinced a U.S. court that Chobani's "Simply 100" yogurt falsely implied Danone's Light and Fit contained chlorine. Danone unsuccessfully sued three years later over Chobani's claims that its kids' drinkable yogurt had 33% less sugar. This embedded content is not available in your region. In the latest lawsuit, Danone said Chobani's improper use of its intellectual property was "knowing, calculated, and systematic." Danone chose the "Bright & Mellow" slogan in January 2021 as a way to distinguish itself from Starbucks and La Colombe, which was an independent company at the time. After Chobani bought La Colombe for $900 million in 2023, Danone claimed it started using a "Bright & Mellow" slogan on its coffee packaging. It also changed the product from "medium roast" to "light roast," matching Danone's offering, the suit claims. Danone said Chobani has taken other steps to copy its packaging. Chobani's high-protein Greek yogurt, for example, allegedly uses similar colors, fonts and graphics to Danone's Oikos brand. "Chobani's actions enable and have already enabled Chobani to free ride on Danone's reputation," Danone said in the suit. Chobani did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As food giants combat declining sales, more companies have taken steps to preserve profits by protecting their brand equity. In May, snack maker Mondelēz International sued Aldi to force the grocer to stop using lookalike packaging for a number of private-label snacks such as Oreo and Chips Ahoy! Recommended Reading Inside the evolution of Danone's Stōk Sign in to access your portfolio
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Dannon parent sues Chobani over cold brew coffee slogan, packaging
The maker of Dannon yogurt sued rival Chobani on Tuesday for allegedly copying its "Bright & Mellow" slogan and yellow-and-black packaging for a competing line of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. Danone said Chobani engaged in "knowing, calculated, and systematic" trademark infringement by using packaging for La Colombe-branded coffee that was "strikingly similar" to packaging for its own SToK coffee. The lawsuit is at least the third between Danone and Chobani in the last decade. In its complaint in Manhattan federal court, Danone said it began using "Bright & Mellow" in January 2021 to distinguish itself from Starbucks and then-independent La Colombe, which emphasized roast levels and coffee bean origins. It said that after buying La Colombe for $900 million in December 2023, Chobani substituted "Bright & Mellow" for that brand's "Bright & Flavorful" on coffee packaging, and now calls the product "light roast" instead of "medium roast." Danone said this inevitably causes consumer confusion , especially among hurried shoppers scanning shelves in their local Kroger, Target or Walmart. The changes will "cause severe and irreparable harm to Danone and the goodwill it has built up in the Bright & Mellow mark over the past four and a half years," Danone said. Chobani did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Danone is based in Paris. Its U.S. unit is based in White Plains, New York, while Chobani is based in upstate Norwich, New York. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop Chobani from selling products that could cause confusion, plus lost profits and triple damages. The case is Danone US LLC et al v Chobani LLC, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 25-06217.
Reuters
29-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Dannon parent sues Chobani over cold brew coffee slogan, packaging
NEW YORK, July 29 (Reuters) - The maker of Dannon yogurt sued rival Chobani on Tuesday for allegedly copying its "Bright & Mellow" slogan and yellow-and-black packaging for a competing line of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. Danone ( opens new tab said Chobani engaged in "knowing, calculated, and systematic" trademark infringement by using packaging for La Colombe-branded coffee that was "strikingly similar" to packaging for its own SToK coffee. The lawsuit is at least the third between Danone and Chobani in the last decade. In its complaint in Manhattan federal court, Danone said it began using "Bright & Mellow" in January 2021 to distinguish itself from Starbucks (SBUX.O), opens new tab and then-independent La Colombe, which emphasized roast levels and coffee bean origins. It said that after buying La Colombe for $900 million in December 2023, Chobani substituted "Bright & Mellow" for that brand's "Bright & Flavorful" on coffee packaging, and now calls the product "light roast" instead of "medium roast." Danone said this inevitably causes consumer confusion, especially among hurried shoppers scanning shelves in their local Kroger (KR.N), opens new tab, Target (TGT.N), opens new tab or Walmart (WMT.N), opens new tab. The changes will "cause severe and irreparable harm to Danone and the goodwill it has built up in the Bright & Mellow mark over the past four and a half years," Danone said. Chobani did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Danone is based in Paris. Its U.S. unit is based in White Plains, New York, while Chobani is based in upstate Norwich, New York. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop Chobani from selling products that could cause confusion, plus lost profits and triple damages. The case is Danone US LLC et al v Chobani LLC, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 25-06217.
