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Hershey Co. v. LBB Imports - Trademark Complaint PDF
Hershey Co. v. LBB Imports - Trademark Complaint PDF
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Complaint for:
(1) Trademark Infringement
Plaintiffs,
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v.
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Defendant.
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Hershey), for their complaint against defendant LBB Imports, LLC (LBB) for
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trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark and trade dress dilution, false
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designation of origin, unfair competition and breach of contract, plead and allege as
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follows:
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1.
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KIT KAT and ROLO chocolate, candy and confectionery products (collectively, the
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Infringing Products). By selling these products in the United States, LBB violates
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COMPLAINT
trademark rights that are owned or licensed by Hershey. In particular, the imported
TOFFEE CRISP product sold by LBB closely resembles the well-known REESES
other things, both have the same orange background color, and both feature a slanted
yellow font with brown outlining. In addition, the Infringing Products sold by LBB
CADBURY, KIT KAT and ROLO trademarks. What is more, defendant continues
to import and sell the Infringing Products, despite previously admitting that its
actions infringed Hersheys trademark rights and repeatedly agreeing to stop its
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infringing conduct. Hershey brings this suit to prevent LBB from continuing to
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2.
This action is brought by Hershey against LBB under the Lanham Act,
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15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq., and state law, seeking preliminary and permanent
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and other relief relating to defendants importation, distribution and sale of products
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Hershey, namely, the REESES trade dress, the YORK trademark, the MALTESER
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trademark, the CADBURY trademark and trade dress and the KIT KAT trademark
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and trade dress, and the ROLO trademark and trade dress, (collectively, the
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Hershey Marks).
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3.
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products in the United States and worldwide. For many years, Hershey has
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manufactured and sold REESES, YORK, MALTESER, CADBURY, KIT KAT and
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4.
As set forth more fully below, Hershey owns or licenses the exclusive
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rights to use the Hershey Marks in connection with various chocolate and
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defendant imports into the United States, offers for sale, and sells within the United
States the Infringing Products, none of which are made or authorized by Hershey:
TOFFEE CRISP brand confectionery products in a trade dress that
YORKIE brand confections that infringe and dilute the famous YORK
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trademark;
MALTESERS brand confections that infringe Hersheys MALTESER
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trademark;
CADBURY brand chocolate products that infringe the famous
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sale to customers throughout the United States through its offices in California, New
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Jersey and New York. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and
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and trade dress dilution, false designation of origin, unfair competition and breach of
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contract are enjoined, Hershey will suffer irreparable injury for which there is no
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7.
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laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business at 100 Crystal A
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and seller of chocolate, confectionery and snack products. Hershey Company is the
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exclusive United States licensee of the YORK trademark, the CADBURY trademark
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COMPLAINT
and trade dress, and the KIT KAT trademark and trade dress, and the ROLO
trademark and trade dress with respect to the products at issue in this lawsuit.
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laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business at 4860 Robb
subsidiary of Hershey Company and is the owner of the REESES trade dress and
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company organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, with
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places of business at 2015 S. Acacia Court, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220 and 201
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Penhorn Avenue, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094. On information and belief, LBB is
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products throughout the United States, including the Infringing Products at issue in
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this lawsuit.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
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claims for trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark and trade dress
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dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition claims under Section 39
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of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1121, and under 28 U.S.C. 1331 and 1338(a) &
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(b). The Court has subject matter jurisdiction over Hersheys state-law claims under
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28 U.S.C. 1367 and, because the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000 exclusive
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of interest and costs and there is complete diversity of citizenship, under 28 U.S.C.
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1332.
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11.
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information and belief, defendant is present and doing business in the State of
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California and this judicial district either directly or through its agents, and has
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distributed its Infringing Products to persons in, and offered its Infringing Products
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for sale in, the State of California and this judicial district.
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COMPLAINT
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substantial part of the events giving rise to plaintiffs claims occurred in this judicial
district.
ALLEGATIONS COMMON TO ALL CLAIMS
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A.
of candy products, first introduced in 1928. For more than 40 years, Hersheys
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REESES products have been sold throughout the United States in packaging that
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14.
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background covering the entirety of the packaging for the goods, for candy and
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confectionery chips for baking with peanut butter as the characterizing flavor or one
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advertised and sold throughout the United States for many years in packaging that
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features a unique combination of orange, brown and yellow elements (including the
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orange background of the REESES Orange Mark, with prominent yellow type with
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dark outlining). These elements are the subject of an incontestable, valid, subsisting
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Chocolate for the mark REESES MILK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
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and Design (the REESES Trade Dress). A copy of the certificate of registration
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COMPLAINT
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Butter Cup, REESES Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, REESES PIECES candies,
REESES Sticks and REESES BIG CUP, all of which are examples of how
Hershey uses its distinctive REESES Orange Mark and its distinctive REESES
Trade Dress on packages to immediately identify these candy products as part of the
embodying the REESES Trade Dress and REESES Orange Mark are attached as
Exhibit C.
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17.
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federal trademark registrations for various iterations of packaging for its REESES
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brand line extensions, each of which claims a combination of orange, yellow and
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brown as a feature of the mark. Copies of the certificates of registration for these
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combination of arbitrary design elements, the overall appearance and the elements of
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In addition, for many decades, the REESES Orange Mark and the
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REESES brand. As early as the 1960s, Hershey used print advertising that alerted
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consumers to Look for REESES Peanut Butter Cups wherever candy is sold, in the
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familiar orange wrapper and to Look for the bright orange pack. Many of
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Hersheys print ads for the REESES family of products are set against a field of the
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unique REESES orange color used in the REESES packaging, with orange, brown
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and yellow elements. Other advertising and promotional materials for REESES
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products also feature the bright REESES orange with elements of orange, brown
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COMPLAINT
and yellow. Hershey spends millions of dollars for advertising of its REESES
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candy bar products in the country, with sales of over $1 billion each year in the
United States alone in packaging bearing the REESES Orange Mark and the
REESES Trade Dress. In total, sales of the REESES family of products in the
United States have exceeded $7 billion in the last five years alone.
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REESES Orange Mark and the REESES Trade Dress throughout the United States
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in connection with the REESES family of products, the REESES Orange Mark and
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the REESES Trade Dress have become famous and well known, have become
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distinctive of Hersheys products, and have come to identify and indicate the source
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of Hersheys products to consumers and the trade. Hershey has developed for itself
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and its REESES Orange Mark, REESES Trade Dress and REESEs family of
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products substantial goodwill and an excellent reputation among actual and potential
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REESES Trade Dress and the duration and extent of Hersheys sales, marketing and
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use of this mark throughout the United States, the REESES Orange Mark and the
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REESES Trade Dress are distinctive and famous among consumers in the State of
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B.
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Well after Hershey first began using its REESES Orange Mark and the
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REESES Trade Dress for its candy products, and after those marks had become
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famous, defendant commenced selling, in the United States, TOFFEE CRISP brand
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confectionery products that are manufactured for sale outside of the United States by
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COMPLAINT
entities other than Hershey and that are not authorized by Hershey for sale in the
United States.
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design that is strikingly similar to the REESES Orange Mark and REESES Trade
Dress.
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of orange that is identical or nearly identical to the shade of orange that is protected
by the REESES Orange Mark and that Hershey uses in connection with its
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26.
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identical shade of yellow as Hershey uses on its REESES packaging for the words
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Reeses, Pieces, and Big Cup, among others, and uses a slanted font similar to
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that is nearly identical to the dark outlining that Hershey uses for yellow type on its
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REESES products.
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Example of infringing
TOFFEE CRISP products
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Example of Hershey
REESES products
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COMPLAINT
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CRISP products into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia,
its sales offices and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises
and sells its TOFFEE CRISP products through its website (www.lbbimports.com).
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The TOFFEE CRISP products that defendant sells in the United States
authorized by Hershey or its affiliates to use the REESES Orange Mark or the
REESES Trade Dress, or any variants thereof, in connection with candy or any
other product.
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31.
Given that the trade dress of the TOFFEE CRISP products sold by
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famous REESES Trade Dress, and is used for confectionery products, defendants
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sale of TOFFEE CRISP products inevitably will cause confusion among consumers
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distinctive quality of the REESES Orange Mark and the REESES Trade Dress by
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Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
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irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its marks
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C.
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The distinctive and famous YORK trademark has been used since the
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YORK peppermint patty was introduced in 1940. For the last quarter-century, since
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use the famous registered trademark YORK in connection with, inter alia, all food
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COMPLAINT
and food-related products in the United States. Hershey Companys licensor, Kraft
Foods Ireland Intellectual Property Limited (Kraft), owns two incontestable, valid,
subsisting and existing United States trademark registrations for the YORK
trademark (Nos. 564,557 and 1,644,557). Copies of the certificates for the foregoing
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The YORK mark has been extensively advertised and used throughout
the United States for decades. Hershey has spent tens of millions of dollars on
advertising for YORK products and sells more than $100 million of YORK products
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37.
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YORK mark by Hershey and its licensor, the YORK mark has become extremely
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well known and famous for use in connection with YORK confectionery products
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licensed by Hershey, has become distinctive of these products and has come to
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identify and indicate the source of these products to consumers and the trade.
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38.
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duration and extent of Hersheys sales, marketing and use of the YORK mark
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throughout the United States, the YORK mark is distinctive and famous among
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authorized to file a lawsuit to protect the marks that it licenses from Kraft.
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D.
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Well after Hershey began using the YORK mark in the United States,
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and after the YORK mark had become famous in the United States, defendant
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commenced selling in the United States YORKIE brand confectionery products that
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are manufactured for sale outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey
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and that are not authorized by Hershey for sale in the United States.
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COMPLAINT
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into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia, its sales offices
and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and sells its
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The YORKIE products that defendant sells in the United States are not
Hershey or its affiliates to use the YORK mark, or any variant thereof, in connection
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Hersheys famous YORK mark, and is used for chocolate confectionery products,
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of the famous YORK mark by lessening its capacity to identify and distinguish
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Hersheys products.
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Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
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irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its licensed
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E.
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States trademark registrations for the MALTESER mark (Reg. No. 761,679) and for
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connection with candy. Copies of the certificates for the foregoing federal
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COMPLAINT
48.
The MALTESER mark has been used in the United States for more
than 52 years in connection with chocolate-covered malted milk ball candy products
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in the United States, the MALTESER mark has become distinctive of Hersheys
products in the United States, and has come to identify and indicate the source of
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and use of the mark, and Hersheys federal registrations pertaining to the mark,
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Hershey owns the exclusive right to use the word MALTESER, or any term
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F.
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into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia, its sales offices
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and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and sells its
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The MALTESERS products that defendant sells in the United States are
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MALTESERS mark, or any variant thereof, in connection with candy or any other
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product.
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COMPLAINT
55.
purchasers to mistakenly believe that the products are the same as those offered by
Hershey, or that they are in some way authorized or licensed by the source of the
MALTESER brand.
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Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its marks
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G.
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the CADBURY Trade Dress for Chocolate Products in the United States
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century, since 1988, Hershey has manufactured and sold chocolate products bearing
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use the famous registered trademark CADBURY in the United States in connection
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with, among other things, chocolate candy. Hershey Companys licensor, Cadbury
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mark and logos, including Registration No. 65,081 covering CADBURY for
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chocolate candy; Registration No. 977,811 covering CADBURY for, inter alia,
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CADBURY mark for, inter alia, chocolate and chocolates and non-medicated
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United States trademark registrations covering the names of various candy bars sold
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under the CADBURY brand, including CARAMELLO (Reg. Nos. 771,569 and
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COMPLAINT
2,962,010) and DAIRY MILK (Reg. Nos. 1,403,327, 2,942,301 and 4,224,494).
Cadbury UK also owns an incontestable, valid, subsisting and existing United States
milk-chocolate varieties of CADBURY products, which depicts milk being from one
full glass on the left and one half glass on the right (the glass and a half design)
(Reg. No. 1,460,259). Copies of the certificates of registration for the foregoing
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licensor) to use the distinctive trade dress associated with the CADBURY mark (the
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CADBURY Trade Dress). The CADBURY Trade Dress features, inter alia, a
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purple and gold color scheme, the distinctive CADBURY stylized script (typically in
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gold) including the large spiral C and the mirror-image design of the d and b,
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arbitrary design elements, the overall appearance and the elements of which are
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The CADBURY mark and the CADBURY Trade Dress have been
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extensively advertised and used throughout the United States for decades. Hershey
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products (including CARAMELLO and DAIRY MILK products) that feature the
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CADBURY mark and the CADBURY Trade Dress, and retail sales of CADBURY
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chocolate products bearing those marks have exceeded half a billion dollars in the
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CADBURY mark and the CADBURY Trade Dress throughout the United States in
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connection with the CADBURY family of products, the CADBURY mark and the
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COMPLAINT
CADBURY Trade Dress have become famous and well known, have become
distinctive of Hersheys products, and have come to identify and indicate the source
of Hersheys products to consumers and the trade. Hershey has developed for itself
and its CADBURY mark, CADBURY Trade Dress and CADBURY family of
products substantial goodwill and an excellent reputation among actual and potential
63.
Cadbury UK, Hershey is expressly authorized to file suit in order to protect the
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H.
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Well after Hershey began using the CADBURY mark and the
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CADBURY Trade Dress in the United States, and after the CADBURY mark and
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the CADBURY Trade Dress had become famous in the United States, defendant
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commenced selling CADBURY chocolate products in the United States that are
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manufactured for sale outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey and
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that are not authorized by Hershey for sale in the United States.
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products into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia, its sales
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offices and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and sells
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registered CADBURY mark for which Hershey owns an exclusive license in the
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that are identical to the registered CARAMELLO or DAIRY MILK marks, for
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COMPLAINT
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identical to the distinctive and well-known CADBURY Trade Dress for which
Hershey owns an exclusive license. Defendants products bear the same purple and
gold color scheme, the same distinctive CADBURY stylized script in gold type
including the large spiral C and mirror-image design of the d and b, and the
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States are not manufactured or authorized by Hershey. Upon information and belief,
these products are manufactured by Hersheys licensor for sale in markets outside of
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the United States and are not intended for sale within the United States. Defendant
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has never been authorized by Hershey to use the CADBURY mark or the
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CADBURY Trade Dress in connection with chocolates or any other product in the
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United States.
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from Hersheys CADBURY products that are intended for sale in the United States
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in a number of ways. Among other differences, the packages for the defendants
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and a trade dress that is identical or nearly identical to the CADBURY Trade Dress,
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Hershey, and that are materially different than those intended by Hershey for sale in
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the United States, is likely to cause confusion among consumers as to the origin,
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COMPLAINT
71.
the distinctive quality of the CADBURY mark and the CADBURY Trade Dress by
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Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its licensed
I.
the KIT KAT Trade Dress for Confectionery Products in the United
States
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73.
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more than thirty-five years, since 1979, Hershey Company has manufactured and
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sold confectionery products bearing the KIT KAT mark in the United States.
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use the famous registered mark KIT KAT in the United States in connection with,
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licensor, Socit des Produits Nestl S.A. (Nestl), owns incontestable, valid,
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subsisting and existing United States trademark registrations for the KIT KAT mark
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(Reg. No. 1,022,181) and for a stylized version of the KIT KAT mark (Reg. No
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1,535,582) for use in connection with wafer fingers in milk chocolate. Copies of
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the certificates of registration for the foregoing federal registrations are attached as
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Exhibit I.
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trade dress associated with KIT KAT products (the KIT KAT Trade Dress). The
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KIT KAT Trade Dress features a distinctive red-and-white color scheme and a
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distinctive stylized script, which includes two oversized Ks that dwarf the other
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letters in the words Kit and Kat, slanted typeface, and an oval shape that
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COMPLAINT
76.
arbitrary design elements, the overall appearance and the elements of which are
77.
The KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT Trade Dress have been
extensively advertised and used throughout the United States for decades. Hershey
has spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising for KIT KAT products that
feature the KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT Trade Dress in the past five years
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alone, and retail sales of KIT KAT products bearing the KIT KAT mark and the KIT
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KAT Trade Dress in that time period have exceeded one billion dollars.
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78.
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KAT mark and the KIT KAT Trade Dress throughout the United States in
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connection with Hersheys KIT KAT products, the KIT KAT mark and the KIT
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KAT Trade Dress have become famous and well known, have become distinctive of
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Hersheys products, and have come to identify and indicate the source of Hersheys
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products to consumers and the trade. Hershey has developed for itself and its KIT
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KAT mark, KIT KAT Trade Dress and KIT KAT products substantial goodwill and
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an excellent reputation among actual and potential purchasers and users of its
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products.
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79.
In light of the distinctiveness of the KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT
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Trade Dress and the duration and extent of Hersheys sales, marketing and use of
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this mark throughout the United States, the KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT Trade
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Dress are distinctive and famous among consumers in the State of California and
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COMPLAINT
expressly authorized to file suit in order to protect the marks that it licenses from
J.
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Well after Hershey began using the KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT
Trade Dress in the United States, and after the KIT KAT mark and Trade Dress had
become famous in the United States, defendant commenced selling KIT KAT-
manufactured for sale outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey and
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that are not authorized by Hershey for sale in the United States.
82.
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products into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia, its sales
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offices and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and sells
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Defendants KIT KAT products bear the mark KIT KAT, which is
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identical to the registered mark KIT KAT owned by Hersheys licensor. Moreover,
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defendants KIT KAT products use a stylized script that is nearly identical to the
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registered stylized KIT KAT mark, with a trade dress that is nearly identical to the
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84.
The KIT KAT products that defendant sells in the United States are not
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Hershey to use the KIT KAT mark or the KIT KAT Trade Dress in connection with
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Hersheys KIT KAT products that are intended for sale in the United States in a
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number of ways. Among other differences, the packages for the defendants KIT
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KAT products display non-U.S. contact information and often bear nutritional
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KAT, in a stylized form that is nearly identical to the stylized mark licensed by
Hershey, with a trade dress that is nearly identical to the KIT KAT Trade Dress, on
products that are not manufactured, authorized, or approved by Hershey, and that are
materially different than those intended by Hershey for sale in the United States, is
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distinctive quality of the KIT KAT mark and the KIT KAT Trade Dress by lessening
their capacity to identify and distinguish Hersheys products.
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88.
Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
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irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its licensed
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K.
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introduced in United Kingdom in approximately 1937. Since 1979, for over thirty-
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five years, Hershey Company has manufactured and sold confectionery products
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use the famous registered mark ROLO in the United States in connection with, inter
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registrations for the ROLO mark (Reg. No. 3,365,435) and for a stylized version of
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the ROLO mark (Reg. No. 363,472) for use in connection with candy. Copies of
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the certificates of registration for the foregoing federal registrations are attached as
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Exhibit K.
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COMPLAINT
91.
trade dress associated with ROLO products (the ROLO Trade Dress). The ROLO
Trade Dress features a cylindrical package bearing a distinctive red, brown, and gold
scheme. The word ROLO is featured prominently in thick, red lettering with thin
white outlining, set against a brown background with gold foil exposed at the ends
right of the large, red ROLO text. An example of the distinctive ROLO Trade
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92.
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arbitrary design elements, the overall appearance and the elements of which are
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The ROLO mark and Trade Dress have been extensively advertised and
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used throughout the United States for decades. Hershey has spent tens of millions of
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dollars on advertising for its ROLO products in the United States over the past five
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years. Hershey sells more than $100 million of ROLO products each year in the
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United States.
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94.
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ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress throughout the United States in connection
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with Hersheys ROLO products, the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress have
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become famous and well known, have become distinctive of Hersheys products,
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and have come to identify and indicate the source of Hersheys products to
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consumers and the trade. Hershey has developed for itself and its ROLO mark,
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ROLO Trade Dress and ROLO products substantial goodwill and an excellent
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reputation among actual and potential purchasers and users of its products.
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COMPLAINT
95.
In light of the distinctiveness of the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade
Dress and the duration and extent of Hersheys sales, marketing and use of this mark
throughout the United States the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress are
distinctive and famous among consumers in the State of California and throughout
96.
expressly authorized to file suit in order to protect the marks that it licenses from
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L.
Well after Hershey began using the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade
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Dress in the United States, and after the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress
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had become famous in the United States, defendant commenced selling ROLO-
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branded caramel-filled chocolate products in the United States that are manufactured
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for sale outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey and that are not
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98.
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products into the United States and offers them for sale through, inter alia, its sales
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offices and catalogs. On information and belief, defendant also advertises and sells
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99.
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registered ROLO mark for which Hershey owns an exclusive license in the United
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States.
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100.
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identical to the distinctive and well-known ROLO Trade Dress for which Hershey
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owns an exclusive license. Defendants products bear the same brown, red and gold
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COMPLAINT
color scheme, and a highly similar red script with white outlining for the ROLO
mark.
101.
5
6
7
8
9
The ROLO products that defendant sells in the United States are not
10
11
Hershey to use the ROLO mark or the ROLO Dress in connection with caramel-
12
13
103.
14
Hersheys ROLO products that are intended for sale in the United States in a number
15
of ways. Among other differences, the packages for the defendants ROLO products
16
display non-U.S. contact information and often bear nutritional information required
17
18
104.
19
ROLO, in a stylized form that is nearly identical to the stylized mark licensed by
20
Hershey, with a trade dress that is nearly identical to the ROLO Trade Dress, on
21
products that are not manufactured, authorized, or approved by Hershey, and that are
22
materially different than those intended by Hershey for sale in the United States, is
23
24
25
105.
26
distinctive quality of the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress by lessening their
27
28
23
COMPLAINT
106.
Defendants acts are causing and will continue to cause damage and
irreparable harm to Hershey and the valuable reputation and goodwill of its licensed
M.
5
6
107.
objections to its sale of the Infringing Products since at least December 2012. After
10
Hersheys trademark rights and promised to stop advertising and selling the
11
12
108.
13
objecting to the sales of the Infringing Products and demanding that defendant cease
14
and desist from infringing or diluting Hersheys valuable trademark rights in the
15
16
Hersheys letter was addressed to Mr. Nathan Dulley, who, on information and
17
belief, was (and remains) the President of LBB. A copy of this letter (without the
18
voluminous exhibits thereto), along with the other written correspondence between
19
20
109.
21
22
23
110.
On February 14, 2013, having not heard further from Mr. Dulley,
24
25
26
111.
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28
112.
2, 2013. Hersheys counsel agreed to the extra time, but requested that defendant
confirm before then that [LBB was] agreeable in principle to stopping the
objectionable sales.
113.
In a reply dated August 2, 2013, Mr. Dulley responded that LBB does
agree in principle to stopping the objectionable sales. Mr. Dully also promised to
114.
10
counsel. Mr. Dulley not only reiterated defendants agreement to stop selling the
11
Infringing Products, but admitted that the sale of those products infringed Hersheys
12
rights:
13
14
15
16
17
in your letter.
18
(Emphasis added). In his email, Mr. Dulley went on to state that there was a large
19
demand for imported CADBURY products and proposed that LBB be permitted to
20
import CADBURY products from outside the United States in exchange for paying a
21
royalty to Hershey.
22
115.
23
24
25
YORKIE and ROLO products. The metadata for the document suggests that it was
26
created on or about June 21, 2013well after Hershey first objected to the sale of
27
28
distribute its Christmas 2013 catalog during the month of August 2013, even after
25
COMPLAINT
116.
raise[d] serious questions as to whether [LBB was] giving this matter the serious
10
117.
11
that he would provide a more fulsome response the following day. He reiterated
12
defendants agreement to stop its infringing sales: Bottom line well stop
13
14
118.
15
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Products: This email confirms that LBB will stop all distribution and sales in the
17
18
19
20
21
119.
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23
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121.
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26
27
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8
9
10
122.
Neither Mr. Dulley nor anyone else at LBB responded to the October
11
importing and selling within the United States the Infringing Products, Hershey
12
refrained from taking additional steps to protect its valuable trademark rights, such
13
as filing a lawsuit against defendant for trademark and trade dress infringement,
14
trademark and trade dress dilution, false designation of origin and unfair
15
competition.
16
N.
17
18
124.
19
or has resumed its infringing activity, in violation of its promises to Hershey to stop
20
such activity. Defendants actions, as described below, indicate that it pursued such
21
22
rights.
23
125.
24
25
Hershey attached pages from defendants Spring & Summer 2013 catalog in its
26
27
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27
COMPLAINT
126.
Hersheys December 19, 2012 letter, defendant made changes to its website so that
only users with login credentials are able to download defendants seasonal catalogs.
127.
128.
United States, it posted an Easter 2014 catalog to its website. However, because
10
11
12
Catalog 2014. The metadata for the document suggests that it was created on or
13
about June 18, 2014approximately 18 months after Hershey first objected to the
14
sale of the Infringing Products and more than 10 months after defendant agreed to
15
16
130.
17
Catalog 2014 contains page after page of advertisements for imported CADBURY,
18
MALTESERS, KIT KAT and ROLO productsthe same products that defendant
19
promised to stop importing and selling in the United States. Copies of excerpts from
20
21
131.
22
TOFFEE CRISP, YORKIE, KIT KAT and ROLO products, despite defendants
23
agreement more than a year ago to stop selling such products. A copy of the
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26
27
28
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COMPLAINT
4
5
6
132.
States Patent and Trademark Office, pursuant to Section 32 of the Lanham Act, 15
134.
10
similar to, and are colorable imitations of, the federally registered REESES Orange
11
Mark (Reg. No. 2,256,226), the federally registered elements of the REESES Trade
12
13
14
federally registered YORK mark (Reg. Nos. 564,557 and 1,644,557), the federally
15
registered MALTESER mark (Reg. Nos. 761,679 and 1,923,905), the federally
16
registered CADBURY mark; (Reg. Nos. 65,081; 230,468; 977,811; and 1,107,458);
17
the federally registered CARAMELLO mark (Reg. Nos. 771,569 and 2,962,010);
18
the federally registered DAIRY MILK mark (Reg. Nos. 1,403,327; 2,942,301; and
19
4,224,494); the federally registered glass and a half design mark (Reg. No.
20
1,460,259); the federally registered KIT KAT mark (Reg. Nos. 1,022,181 and
21
1,535,582); and the federally registered ROLO mark (Reg. Nos. 3,365,435 and
22
23
135.
24
cause confusion and mistake and to deceive the public as to the approval,
25
26
27
136.
have been done willfully and deliberately, and defendant has profited and been
28
29
COMPLAINT
unjustly enriched by sales that defendant would not otherwise have made but for its
unlawful conduct.
137.
injury and damages to plaintiffs, and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs
goodwill and reputation, and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury,
10
11
12
13
138.
14
15
16
140.
By its unauthorized use of the marks and trade dresses described above,
17
defendant has (i) infringed the REESES Orange Mark, the REESES Trade Dress,
18
the YORK mark, the MALTESER mark, the CADBURY mark, the CADBURY
19
Trade Dress, the KIT KAT mark, the KIT KAT Trade Dress, the ROLO mark and
20
the ROLO Trade Dress; (ii) falsely designated the origin of its products; and
21
(iii) competed unfairly with plaintiffs, all in violation of Section 43(a) of the Lanham
22
23
141.
24
trade dress infringement, false designation of origin and unfair competition have
25
been done willfully and deliberately, and defendant has profited and been unjustly
26
enriched by sales that it would not otherwise have made but for its unlawful conduct.
27
28
142.
injury and damages to plaintiffs, and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs
30
COMPLAINT
goodwill and reputation, and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury,
6
7
8
9
10
143.
This claim is for the dilution of trademarks and trade dress, pursuant to
The REESES Orange Mark, the REESES Trade Dress, the YORK
11
mark, the CADBURY mark, the CADBURY Trade Dress, the KIT KAT mark, the
12
KIT KAT Trade Dress, the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress are each
13
distinctive and famous within the meaning of Section 43(c) of the Lanham Act, 15
14
U.S.C. 1125(c), and were distinctive and famous prior to the date of defendants
15
16
146.
17
diluting the distinctive quality of the famous REESES Orange Mark, REESES
18
Trade Dress, YORK mark, CADBURY mark, CADBURY Trade Dress, KIT KAT
19
mark, KIT KAT Trade Dress, ROLO mark and ROLO Trade Dress, in that
20
defendants challenged marks are likely to create and have created an association
21
between defendants marks and the famous REESES Orange Mark, REESES
22
Trade Dress, YORK mark, CADBURY mark, CADBURY Trade Dress, KIT KAT
23
mark, KIT KAT Trade Dress, ROLO mark and ROLO Trade Dress, which impairs
24
the distinctiveness of those famous marks and lessens the capacity of those famous
25
marks to identify and distinguish products marketed and sold by plaintiffs under
26
those marks.
27
28
147.
been done willfully and deliberately and defendant has profited and been unjustly
31
COMPLAINT
enriched by sales that defendant would not otherwise have made but for its unlawful
conduct.
148.
injury and damages to plaintiffs, and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs
goodwill and reputation, and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury,
10
11
12
13
14
149.
reputation under section 14247 of the California Business and Professions Code.
151.
The REESES Orange Mark, the REESES Trade Dress, the YORK
15
mark, the CADBURY mark, the CADBURY Trade Dress, the KIT KAT mark, the
16
KIT KAT Trade Dress, the ROLO mark and the ROLO Trade Dress are each famous
17
marks in the State of California within the meaning of section 14247 of the
18
California Business and Professions Code, and were famous prior to the date of
19
defendants adoption and use of similar designs on packages and in advertising for
20
21
152.
22
23
Dress, YORK mark, CADBURY mark, CADBURY Trade Dress, KIT KAT mark,
24
KIT KAT Trade Dress, ROLO mark and ROLO Trade Dress, thereby lessening the
25
capacity of those marks to identify and distinguish products marketed and sold by
26
27
28
153.
been done willfully and deliberately and defendant has profited and been unjustly
32
COMPLAINT
enriched by sales that defendant would not otherwise have made but for its unlawful
conduct.
154.
plaintiffs, and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs goodwill and reputation
and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury, whereby plaintiffs have no
9
10
11
12
13
155.
14
above, constitutes common law trademark infringement, passing off, and unfair
15
16
158.
17
infringement, passing off, and unfair competition have been done willfully and
18
deliberately, and defendant has profited and been unjustly enriched by sales that
19
defendant would not otherwise have made but for its unlawful conduct.
20
159.
21
injury and damages to plaintiffs and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs
22
goodwill and reputation, and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury,
23
24
25
26
27
160.
28
33
COMPLAINT
1
2
3
161.
its importation and sale in the United States of TOFFEE CRISP, YORKIE,
MALTESERS, CADBURY, KIT KAT and ROLO products that are manufactured
outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey and that are not
authorized by Hershey for sale within the United States. In consideration for
defendants promise, Hershey did not pursue its prior claims against defendant for
trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark and trade dress dilution, unfair
10
11
12
was legally and contractually bound to refrain from importing and selling in the
13
14
and ROLO products that are manufactured outside of the United States by entities
15
16
164.
17
continuing or resuming its importation and sale in the United States of TOFFEE
18
CRISP, YORKIE, MALTESERS, CADBURY, KIT KAT and ROLO products that
19
are manufactured outside of the United States by entities other than Hershey.
20
21
22
165.
Plaintiffs have fully performed all of their obligations under the parties
agreement.
166.
23
plaintiffs, and have caused irreparable injury to plaintiffs goodwill and reputation
24
and, unless enjoined, will cause further irreparable injury, whereby plaintiffs have no
25
26
27
28
A.
assigns and others controlling, controlled by or affiliated with defendant and all
products), and all those who receive actual notice by personal service or otherwise:
i.
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
the KIT KAT mark, the KIT KAT Trade Dress, or any other
21
22
KAT mark or the KIT KAT Trade Dress; or (f) the ROLO mark,
23
24
25
26
27
28
ii.
B.
43(a), and 43(c) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1114, 1125(a), and 1125(c), to
have caused trademark dilution and business injury in violation of Section 14257 of
the California Business and Professions Code, to have committed acts of common-
law trademark infringement and unfair competition, and to have breached its
8
9
C.
realized by defendant from its aforesaid acts of trademark and trade dress
10
infringement, trademark and trade dress dilution, false designation of origin, and
11
unfair competition, and awarding treble profits pursuant to Section 35(a) of the
12
Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1117(a), on the ground that defendant engaged in its
13
wrongful acts with knowledge or bad faith or under other circumstances warranting
14
treble profits;
15
D.
16
defendants aforesaid acts of trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark and
17
trade dress dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition, together
18
with appropriate interest thereon, including three times the amount found as actual
19
damages by the trier of fact to properly compensate plaintiff for its damages,
20
pursuant to Section 35(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1117(a), and Section
21
22
E.
23
24
infringement and dilution, false designation of origin and unfair competition, the
25
content, nature, form and extent of which is to be approved by plaintiff and this
26
Court;
27
28
F.
G.
which, if sold, displayed, or used, would violate the injunction herein granted, and
to disable all websites to the extent they contain any content, the display or use of
H.
10
distributor and reseller of defendants candy products a notice advising said persons
11
12
origin, unfair competition and breach of contract, and advising of the issuance and
13
14
I.
15
1116(a), defendant shall serve upon plaintiff within thirty (30) days after service
16
17
Court may direct, a report in writing under oath setting forth in detail the manner
18
19
J.
20
K.
21
Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1117, because of the willful and deliberate nature of
22
defendants acts of trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark and trade
23
dress dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition, and awarding
24
25
L.
26
the trier of fact for defendants willful and knowing trademark infringement and
27
28
M.
Granting such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and
37
COMPLAINT
proper.
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
38
COMPLAINT