Apple has accused a Chinese food company of trademark infringement, saying that its logo needs to be changed.
Apple said that Sichuan Fangguo Food Co.'s logo is too close its own and that the Chinese company must remove its leaf or pull its application for trademarks in notebook computers and electronic gaming. The company currently makes noodles and flour, but had registered the trademark in 16 categories for possible future use.
"There's a leaf so you can tell it's an apple, but it also contains two Chinese characters. The orientation is also different, and ours is a totally different shape," said Fangguo CEO Zhao Yi, adding that when he started the company, he "had never even heard of Apple. . . . I'm Fangguo, it's a fruit, if the leaf is removed, it'll just look like a bomb."
Looking at the logos, we're not sure that anyone would confuse Fangguo Food's logo with Apple's logo. (Several bloggers have also pointed out that it looks more like LG's logo.) Apple can pursue the case legally, but we're not sure it will hold up in court.
