‘Panicky’ breadmaker Lobels threatens competitor over logo
Harare-PANICKY bread maker Lobels is trying all tricks in the bag to stay afloat and have recently threatened a sensational lawsuit against its local competitor Natbake, Express Mail Zim can reveal.
The company authored a letter threatening to drag Natbake to court over seemingly identical branding of their white bread.
Lobels instructed Mawere Sibanda Commercial Lawyers,who wrote to Natbake on July 4 demanding that they must cease forthwith using its colours or face legal action.
The lawsuit threat comes at a time the country’s second largest bakery is teetering on the brink of collapse and seized with viability issues and struggling to pay transporters.
Lobels’ lawyers claimed the ‘identical’ trade dress was causing confusion on the market.
It is also reportedly facing serious competition in terms of quality of the prime white loaf.
“The company has been feeling the heat from competitors who have introduced better quality bread on the market.
Apparently, the colors which they allege to be identical have different shades which should not be an issue because customers can easily distinguish between the two brands,” a source said.
“Your aforesaid use of a trade dress identical to, or at least similar to our client’s trade mark in respect to identical services is calculated to induce the relevant either to mistake or confuse your services for our client’s services or to unfairly take advantage of the goodwill and reputation our client has established in the Lobels goods and services.
” Your imitation of Lobels’ red and blue trade dress is a fraudulent ploy to deceive an average consumer of Lobels products into mistaking your goods as our client’s, which consequently affects our client’s reputation and goodwill,” the lawyers wrote.
“We have therefore been instructed by our client to demand, as we hereby do, that you immediately cease all use of the Lobels mark, deliver up for destruction all infringing products including packaging and trade documentation bearing the offending mark and trade dress and furnish our client with a written undertaking that you will refrain, in future, from using a trade dress or mark similar to our client’s in Zimbabwe.”
“Should you fail to comply with the foregoing, our client reserves the right to institute appropriate proceedings at the High Court of Zimbabwe against you in respect of the use complained of and to institute a claim for damages,” the lawyers further wrote, indicating they were giving Natbake five days to respond.
Natbake, which is now Zimbabwe’s fourth largest bread maker after Bakers Inn, Lobels and Proton, is yet to file it’s opposing affidavit and head of arguments.
Lobels has once threatened Bakers Inn over the same issue five years ago as the breadmaker seems to be jittery in face of competition.
Dear expressmailzim.com Webmaster, exact same below: Link Text
Hello expressmailzim.com webmaster, Thanks for the well-structured and well-presented post!
To the expressmailzim.com admin, Keep up the good work, admin!
Dear expressmailzim.com administrator, You always provide great examples and case studies.
Hello expressmailzim.com administrator, Keep up the great work!
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, Your posts are always insightful and valuable.
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, Thanks for the post!
Hello expressmailzim.com admin, Great content!
Hello expressmailzim.com administrator, Your posts are always well-structured and logical.
Dear expressmailzim.com administrator, Thanks for the comprehensive post!
Hi expressmailzim.com admin, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
Hello expressmailzim.com administrator, Thanks for the in-depth post!
Dear expressmailzim.com administrator, Thanks for the informative post!
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
To the expressmailzim.com administrator, Your posts are always well-formatted and easy to read.
Hello expressmailzim.com administrator, You always provide valuable information.
To the expressmailzim.com administrator, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
Dear expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-received by the community.
Dear expressmailzim.com owner, Your posts are always well researched and well written.
Dear expressmailzim.com admin, You always provide useful links and resources.
Hi expressmailzim.com webmaster, Thanks for the well written post!
To the expressmailzim.com administrator, Keep up the good work!
To the expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-referenced and credible.
Hi expressmailzim.com administrator, Keep the good content coming!
Dear expressmailzim.com webmaster, Thanks for the informative and well-written post!
Hello expressmailzim.com admin, Thanks for the well-presented post!
Hello expressmailzim.com owner, Thanks for the well-structured and well-presented post!
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, Good work!
Hi expressmailzim.com administrator, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
To the expressmailzim.com admin, You always provide useful information.
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, You always provide great examples and case studies.
Dear expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-referenced and credible.
Hi expressmailzim.com admin, Your posts are always a great read.
Hello expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always informative.
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, Your posts are always well organized and easy to understand.
To the expressmailzim.com owner, You always provide great insights.
To the expressmailzim.com administrator, You always provide great information and insights.
To the expressmailzim.com webmaster, You always provide valuable information.
Dear expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always well structured and easy to follow.
To the expressmailzim.com webmaster, Thanks for the great post!
Dear expressmailzim.com administrator, Thanks for the in-depth post!
Hello expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always informative and well-explained.
Hello expressmailzim.com owner, Your posts are always well-cited and reliable.
Hi expressmailzim.com webmaster, Your posts are always well structured and easy to follow.
Hi expressmailzim.com admin, Your posts are always well-referenced and credible.
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you ought to publish more about this issue,
it might not be a taboo subject but typically folks don’t speak about such
topics. To the next! All the best!!
Hi expressmailzim.com owner, Thanks for the great post!
Dear expressmailzim.com administrator, Your posts are always well-structured and logical.