This audio is generated automatically. Please let me know if you have any comments.
Tabasco maker McIlhenny Company sues Stoli Vodka.The alcohol company’s new spicy vodka claims to have similar packaging to the iconic hot sauce brand. This lawsuit arose when Tabasco released a similar product. Partnership with Absolute.
McIlhenny’s lawsuit claims that Stoli and McIlhenny were in discussions to jointly develop a spicy vodka in late 2024, but the hot sauce maker “ultimately decided to go in a different direction and terminated discussions.” Stoli went ahead with his own glass of spicy vodka. This year’s jalapeño pepper vodka..
McIlhenny claims Stoli’s new launch infringes Tabasco’s trade dress rights by using the red and green colors associated with the hot sauce brand. McIlhenny’s attorney says Stoli’s Spicy Vodka uses the design he proposed to McIlhenny for a co-branded product without the Tabasco name.
The lawsuit claims the similarities will cause consumer confusion. McIlenny just announced a collaboration with Tabasco on a spicy vodka that uses the flagship color scheme of Absolut’s hot sauce brand.
The initial complaint was as follows: Filed Jan. 16 as part of Stoli Group USA’s bankruptcy proceedings.. Stoli Group USA and the Kentucky Owl filed the lawsuit. Bankruptcy protection in 2024Stoli’s jalapeño vodka was the company’s first new product launch since the process began.
Following the announcement of Tabasco’s spicy vodka collaboration, McIlhenny asked a Texas judge to stop Stoli from using the bottle design in question until the lawsuit heads to trial, according to a request for a preliminary injunction filed Thursday.
A Stoli spokesperson did not immediately respond to Food Dive’s request for comment.
Both Stoli and Absolut, owned by Ricard Pernod, have been affected by the decline in alcohol consumption, but both appear prepared to increase their consumption. Consumer interest in spicy tasteEspecially from alcohol. Spicy vodka sales are expected to grow 27% by 2029, according to Datassentials data cited by Absolut.
