News What’s In a Name – Trademark Suits Swirl Around Canopy

During the burgeoning growth spurt of the last 10 years there have been numerous lawsuits in the craft brewing industry over beer names. That seems to have calmed down, but bigger stakes abound in the industry. Canopy Growth, the Canadian cannabis company, is being sued by Remy Cointreau at the same time as Canopy’s biggest shareholder, Constellation Brands, is in a fight with Anheuser Busch InBev over the right to use the Corona brand name in the alcoholic flavored water sector.

Remy Cointreau alleges in a Manhattan court, that Canopy’s Quatreau infused sparkling water infringes and dilutes its trademarks.

Meanwhile, an even bigger battle is raging over use of the Corona brand name. As part of the antitrust process involved with the takeover of Grupo Modelo in 2012, ABInBev gave up the rights to produce and market the Corona brand to Constellation in the U.S. But wait….is Corona’s new hard seltzer not considered “beer” and therefore not part of the antitrust settlement? Only time, and the courts will tell.

Full story here.

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