A folk artist is seeking to protect his catchphrase ‘eat more kale’ as he bids to expand his home business, it has been reported.
Bo Muller-Moore uses a hand silkscreen machine to apply his phrase T-shirts and sweatshirts.
However Chick-fil-A, which holds the rights to the phrase ‘eat mor chikin’, believes the phrase infringes upon its own trademark.
A lawyer for the Atlanta-based food chain said Muller-Moore’s effort to expand the use of his ‘eat more kale’ message “is likely to cause confusion of the public”.
He claimed it is also likely to dilute the distinctiveness of Chick-fil-A’s intellectual property and diminish its value.
However Muller-Moore, 38, of Montpelier, said he had no plans to back down – saying his catchphrase is in support of the local agriculture sector.
“This feels like David versus Goliath. I know what it’s like to protect what’s yours in business,” he added.
The federal courts may be called upon to decide the outcome of this trademark dispute, with neither side showing any willingness to back down.