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Chipotle sues Sweetgreen over ‘chipotle chicken’ bowl

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill is suing Sweetgreen over 'chipotle chicken bowl'
  • Chipotle alleges Sweetgreen is using same font, color as company
  • Chiptole sent cease-and-desist letters, calls to Sweetgreen before lawsuit
Chipotle

FILE – A sign for the Chipotle restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Market Square is pictured Feb. 8, 2016. Restaurants are beginning the new year with a recurring problem: labor shortages. Chipotle said Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, that it is looking to hire 15,000 people in North America to ensure its stores are staffed up ahead of its busy spring season. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

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(Reuters) — Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. sued fast-casual dining rival Sweetgreen Inc. in California federal court Tuesday, claiming the salad chain’s new “Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl” violates its trademark rights.

Chipotle’s lawsuit said Sweetgreen’s “very similar and directly competitive” bowl is an attempt to capitalize on the Chipotle brand and likely to confuse consumers.

Sweetgreen said in a statement that it was aware of the lawsuit and does not comment on pending litigation. The company’s stock price was down more than 11% early on Wednesday afternoon.

Chipotle chief corporate affairs officer Laurie Schalow said in a statement the company will “take appropriate actions whenever necessary” to protect its trademarks.

Sweetgreen announced the bowl in a March 30 press release, describing it as “the latest iteration of Sweetgreen’s menu innovation strategy, as the brand evolves beyond salads to introduce a bowl without any greens.”

Chipotle’s lawsuit said Sweetgreen advertises the bowl using the word “Chipotle” in the same font and style as the Mexican-food chain and uses a background with Chipotle’s trademarked “Adobo Red” color.

The lawsuit said Sweetgreen continued infringing despite a cease-and-desist letter and phone call from Chipotle’s legal department. Chipotle said it suggested changing the name to something that uses “chipotle in lower-case, in a textual sentence to accurately describe ingredients of its menu item,” like a “chicken bowl with chipotle.”

Chipotle asked the court for an order blocking Sweetgreen from using the “Chipotle” name and an unspecified amount of money damages.

The case is Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc v. Sweetgreen Inc, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, No. 8:23-cv-00596.

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