Momofuku’s ‘Chili Crunch’ trademark uproar

Momofuku is sending cease-and-desist letters to small businesses

(Image credit: Getty Images)

What happened

Chef David Chang is facing public outrage after his Momofuku food line attempted to trademark “Chili Crunch,” and sent cease-and-desist letters to other companies before the trademark was approved.

Who said what

Momofuku “intentionally picked ‘Chili Crunch’ to further differentiate it from the broader chili crisp category,” a spokesperson said. This is the work of “trademark bullies” who think trademarks are for going after “all companies big and small with abandon,” said Fly by Jing chef Jing Gao. 

Trademarks like this box out rivals and “limit who can profit off a food with a connection to entire cultures,” the Los Angeles Times said. This is like “going after the term ‘hot sauce’ or ‘ketchup’ or ‘mustard,'” recipe developer and author James Park told The Washington Post.

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What next?

The trademark application process “typically” takes 12 to 18 months, The Independent said, and Momofuku will need to prove that the phrase “chili crunch” has “distinctiveness through extensive use in commerce over many years.”

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Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion’s news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi’s work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.  

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