MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Two Wisconsin grocers are clashing in court over logos.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (https://bit.ly/2hwys1Z ) that Metcalfe, Inc., which runs two supermarkets in the Madison area and one in Wauwatosa, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Festmark Inc., which does business as Festival Foods. The lawsuit contends that Festmark stole Metcalfe’s concept for logos shaped like road signs to indicate locally grown foods.
The lawsuit alleges Festmark’s logo is “confusingly similar” to Metcalfe’s trademarked design. The company accused Festmark of infringing on the trademark and unfair competition. The lawsuit asks a judge to block Festmark’s use of the logo as well as order Festmark to destroy all its goods and advertisements with the logo and pay unspecified damages and costs.
Brian Stenzel, a Festival Foods spokesman, said in an email to The Associated Press Friday that the company has been using its signs for years and that the lawsuit lacks merit. He said Festival will fight the suit “vigorously.”
Festmark is based in De Pere and Onalaska. It operates 25 supermarkets, including four that opened this year. Among them was the company’s first store in Madison, which is located about five miles from one Metcalfe store and about eight miles from another.
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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com
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