Better Made sues for copyright violations over pot products
Better Made Snack Foods Inc. is suing several Michigan companies for copyright violations over the use of its trademark on packages of cannabis flowers and edibles.
The company is seeking financial relief and a ban on its trademark usage. Better Made reports it did not authorize the defendant companies to use its trademark in their sales.
Better Made filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Wednesday. The plaintiff alleges federal and state copyright law violations in the defendants' use of the Better Made trademark.
Companies named in the lawsuit are IVP Holding, LLC, House Brands Distro, High Society 2, Zen Republic, LLC, Olswell Cannabis Company, Olswell-Adrian, The Earle of Smoke II, LLC, House of Dank Grand Rapids, Detroit Herbal Center, The High Club, Royal Highness, LLC, Herbology Cannabis Co., MJC Development, LLC, Cannabis King, Cafiero Family Ventures, LLC, King of Budz Ferndale, Carmen Selena Investments, LLC, Royal Highness PC3 LLC, Flower Bowl River Rouge, Greencare Provisioning LLC, Mid Ventures, LLC, Greencare Provisioning Center, Inkster Microbusiness LLC, Nar Inkster, Indica LLC, Sticky Muskegon, Lucky Pablo, Inc., Lucky's Cannabis Company, Pure Buds, LLC, Quest Cannabis, NBT Group LLC, URB Cannabis, Parom Holdings, LLC, and URB Cannabis Company.
The snack food company is known for its potato chips and similar products in metro Detroit, dating to its founding in 1930.
Better Made became aware of improper use of its trademark in August 2023, including online, according to the lawsuit. The company sent the defendants a letter in the mail and several emails on Aug. 15, 2023, asking them to cease copyright violations, but did not receive a response.
The plaintiff reports that the use of the trademark then ceased on a defendant's website but continued in other ways. Customers notified Better Made of trademark violations in December 2023 and in January. A counsel for Better Made contacted a lawyer for the defendant in January, February, and March and was told the issue would be resolved, though violations continued.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and an order banning the defendants from using Better Made trademarks in their websites, advertising, packing, and manufacturing materials.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Better Made files federal trademark lawsuit over pot products
