Dive Brief:
- Danone has filed a lawsuit against competitor Chobani, accusing them of copying the slogan and packaging of their cold brew coffee line. The lawsuit alleges that Chobani’s La Colombe cold brew product closely resembles Danone’s SToK coffee in both packaging and slogan.
- The legal action, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks an injunction to prevent Chobani from using the “Bright & Mellow” slogan and also requests monetary damages equivalent to all profits made from sales of products with similar packaging.
- This is not the first time Danone and Chobani have been embroiled in legal disputes. In the past decade, Danone has sued Chobani over advertising claims, including a case in 2016 where Chobani’s “Simply 100” yogurt was found to falsely imply characteristics of Danone’s Light and Fit product.
Dive Insight:
According to Danone, Chobani’s alleged infringement of their intellectual property is deliberate and systematic. The choice of the “Bright & Mellow” slogan was made by Danone in early 2021 to differentiate their product from competitors such as Starbucks and the then-independent La Colombe.
Following Chobani’s acquisition of La Colombe for $900 million in 2023, Danone claims that Chobani adopted the “Bright & Mellow” slogan and changed their product to match Danone’s offering. The lawsuit also alleges that Chobani has replicated Danone’s packaging strategies, including similarities in colors, fonts, and graphics.
As major food companies face challenges in sales, protecting brand equity has become a priority. In a similar vein, snack maker Mondelēz International recently sued Aldi over the use of lookalike packaging for private-label snacks like Oreo and Chips Ahoy!