Month: November 2014

Judge Rules Pizza Flavor Cannot Be Trademarked

Pepperoni_pizzaNew York is well known for many popular pizza restaurants.  One restaurant, in particular, New York Pizzeria, Inc. (NYPI), believes that what separates it from all the others is a distinctive taste that customers immediately recognize.  According to NYPI, a unique blend of ingredients sourced from proprietary distributors creates its distinguishing flavor.  And when its former president left to create a rival restaurant, Gina’s Italian Kitchen, NYPI noticed that Gina’s pizza tasted a little too familiar.  That’s why NYPI filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Gina’s violated the Lanham Act by copying NYPI’s pizza flavor.  But can a flavor be protected by a trademark registration? Continue reading “Judge Rules Pizza Flavor Cannot Be Trademarked”

Sak’s Fifth Avenue Threatens Snaks Fifth Avenchew

Carrie Sarabella must have a sense of humor. She is the entrepreneur behind SNAKS FIFTH AVENCHEW, an organic doggie treat manufacturer. The play on the brand Saks Fifth Avenue is pretty clever. The department store doesn’t see it quite the same way however, as it sent cease and desist letters to the New Jersey based Sarabella. This wasn’t enough to make Sarabella roll over though and it appears that Saks is now backing down from its challenge.

Continue reading “Sak’s Fifth Avenue Threatens Snaks Fifth Avenchew”