🌶️ “Trademark bullies”

No chile… Celeb chef David Chang’s Momofuku is known for its trendy eateries, packaged foods, and its role in starting Milk Bar. Now it’s also known for stirring the pot. Momofuku filed a trademark application for “chili crunch” last month, and spicy drama has ensued. Momofuku sent cease-and-desists to businesses that called their product “chili crunch” or “chile crunch” (it acquired the “chile crunch” trademark last year). Biz owners defended their right to use the term, which is commonly used to describe a centuries-old condiment.

• Hot takes: Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp brand Fly by Jing, called out “trademark bullies” in a post about the controversy, while actor and food brand owner Simu Liu challenged Momofuku to a blind taste test of their rival products. Another chili crunch maker accused Chang of wanting to create a monopoly instead of a community.

• Cholula and co: Hot sauce is a $3B industry in the US that’s expected to nearly double in a decade.

What’s in a name… Trademarks are meant to protect unique product names, symbols, and designs (think: “Coke,” Nike’s swoosh). Momofuku argues that its “chili crunch” product has earned the distinction because of its popularity and positive reviews. But critics say it’s like trademarking “ketchup” or “salsa.” It’s not the only murkily generic trademark:

• Nacho name: Taco John’s relinquished its “Taco Tuesday” trademark to the public after a heated legal battle with Taco Bell last year.

• Incompatible: Tinder owner Match Group owns trademarks for terms including “swipe.” Muslim dating app Muzmatch had to rebrand to Muzz after losing a trademark suit against Match.

Rosey the Robot ribber… clockin’ in. The US meat industry does more than $200B/year in sales on the back of booming consumer demand that hit a record high in 2021. But meat-packers are struggling to fill factory roles after losing workers during the pandemic. Now companies including Tyson Foods, Smithfield, and Cargill plan to spend a combined $1B+ on automation to boost efficiency. Picture: robot cattle drivers, automated bone saws, and mechanical rib pullers. The robo-investment could lower labor costs as losses stack up:

• Paltry poultry profits: Tyson lost $648M in its last fiscal year as operating costs rose and protein prices fell. JBS, the world’s largest meat-packer, lost nearly $200M.

After-school dangers… As meat-packers push for futuristic factory floors, the industry risks getting stuck in the past with dangerous working conditions. Last year, a federal probe found children working in 13 slaughterhouses in eight states. And in February the Labor Department sought an injunction to stop the use of “oppressive child labor” by a meatpacking cleaning company that put children as young as 13 at risk. The Labor Dept. said kids were scrubbing blood off dangerous “kill floor” machines during overnight shifts. 

• Danger zone: Kids are 2X more likely than adults to be seriously injured while working, and meat workers are at higher risk of getting injuries that require missing work.