Late last week, David Chang, Momofuku, and their chili crunch offering became the main characters in a heated PR crisis. On Thursday, the Guardian reported that Momofuku sent cease-and-desist letters to at least seven companies that branded their condiments as “chili crunch” or “chile crunch” as they attempt to trademark the former with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
It’s worth noting that Momofuku has owned the trademark rights to “chile crunch” since last year as part of a legal settlement with Chile Colonial, a Denver-based company that produces a Mexican version of chili crisp (similar to salsa macha) — to which Momofuku now licenses the “chile crunch” trademark.