Amanj Ali, the owner of a chicken shop in Greater Manchester, has found himself £12,000 poorer after a trademark dispute with Tesla didn't go his way.
Ali, 41, had registered the trademark "Tesla Chicken & Pizza" for his new takeaway venture. However, his attempt to oppose Tesla's bid to protect its trademark for food and drinks services in the UK ended in defeat.
Tesla argued that Ali's trademark would unfairly capitalize on its reputation. Despite attempts to reach out to Tesla for comment, the company remained silent on the matter.
Ali's establishment, Colorado's Chicken in Bury, had its trademark "Tesla Chicken & Pizza" registered with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in May 2020, under class 43 for food and drink services. He claimed the inspiration behind his trademark was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla, the same figure that inspired the motoring giant.
When questioned about his decision to name his business after Nikola Tesla, Ali cited admiration for the inventor's intelligence and influence during his youth.
Initially, Tesla did not raise any objections to Ali's trademark within the standard two-month period following its registration. However, Ali received an email from the IPO in November 2021, informing him of Tesla's attempt to register "Tesla" for the same class of services in the UK.
Concerned that Tesla's successful registration could jeopardize his business plans, Ali opposed the move. In response, Tesla sought to invalidate Ali's trademark, arguing that its own "Tesla" trademark, registered in 2013, carried significant reputation and recognition.
The IPO ruled in favor of Tesla, ordering Ali to pay £4,000 in damages, on top of the £8,000 he had already spent on legal fees. Despite Tesla's claim of having goodwill in the food and drinks sector, the IPO dismissed it as baseless.
Ali expressed frustration over the ordeal, stating that the two-year dispute had caused him considerable stress. He lamented his inability to appeal the decision due to financial constraints and expressed disbelief at being pitted against one of the world's wealthiest companies.
In an unexpected twist, court documents revealed that Tesla alleged Ali had offered to sell his trademark for £750,000 during negotiations. Ali dismissed this claim, attributing it to a misunderstanding by his previous solicitor.
The legal battle serves as a cautionary tale for small business owners navigating trademark disputes against corporate giants like Tesla. Photo by Quickspicerecipes, Wikimedia commons.