The AB InBev group, the world’s leading brewer holder of the LEFFE brand does not intend to allow the Breton brewery of Leff to use its name. According to the group, such use is likely to generate “confusion among consumers”.
The group sent a formal complaint to the micro-brewery located in Lanleff, near Paimpol in Brittany, France.
Its founder Philippe Le Saux explains that he took the name of a Breton river whose water is used to make beer. The brand has been registered with the French Trademark Office.
Plaintiff AB InBev, owner of 500 brands including Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, says it hopes an amicable solution will be found.
In the meantime, they remain firm on the existence of visual similarities or even unfair competition due to the resumption of calligraphy in particular.
We can anticipate that the micro-brewery will try to avoid a long and expensive legal action which would not be consistent with its size and its stakes.
