Brick Brewing Co. Ltd.’s Red Baron beer is the focus of a new trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Labatt Brewing Co. Ltd.
According to Waterloo, Ont.-based Brick, the suit alleges trademark infringement of Labatt’s Brava beer.
Labatt alleges Red Baron’s bottles and packaging look too similar to Brava, leading to confusion for customers.
Labatt, which acquired the Brava brand during its 2007 purchase of Lakeport Brewing Income Fund, is demanding an injunction against Brick as well as an undisclosed amount of damages.
Brick chief executive George Croft said the claim is “without merit.”
Brick recently relaunched its Red Baron brand and spent part of a government subsidy on repackaging the low-cost beer.
“We do not believe consumers are being confused and we tried to talk through the situation with Labatt and avoid an adversarial relationship,” Croft said in a statement.
Notwithstanding the differences in packaging, said Croft, “consumers normally have to ask for Red Baron by name, which makes confusion over packaging seem unlikely.”
