Late final week, David Chang, Momofuku, and their chili crunch providing grew to become the primary characters in a heated PR disaster. On Thursday, the Guardian reported that Momofuku despatched cease-and-desist letters to no less than seven corporations that branded their condiments as “chili crunch” or “chile crunch” as they try to trademark the previous with the US Patent and Trademark Workplace.
It is value noting that Momofuku has owned the trademark rights to “chile crunch” since final 12 months as a part of a authorized settlement with Chile Colonial, a Denver-based firm that produces a Mexican model of chili crisp (just like salsa macha) — to which Momofuku now licenses the “chile crunch” trademark.