The creators of Maven Genetics, a cannabis business based in California, have altered the name of their most notable strain in response to the Michelin-starred restaurant The French Laundry discovering that its trademarked name was being utilized.
Earlier this month, the cannabis firm announced through a press release that it would cease using the name “French Laundry” for its popular strain following a cease-and-desist notice from Thomas Keller’s acclaimed Napa Valley restaurant, as initially reported by Forbes.
“Maven was served a cease and desist from the esteemed Napa restaurant French Laundry, citing issues of trademark violation,” the press release distributed to SFGATE stated. “The naming of our strain was intended as a lighthearted homage to its origin genetics, and not meant to infringe on any trademarks. Nevertheless, to steer clear of possible legal complications, we’ve decided to discontinue using the French Laundry name in our product array.”
Miguel De Vivo, Maven’s brand director, informed SFGATE that the company received the cease-and-desist letter in mid-October. Since then, all references to French Laundry have been expunged, with Maven rebranding the strain as “FKAFL,” an abbreviation for “formerly known as French Laundry.”
De Vivo remarked that while the situation was not ideal, Maven “had no intention of directly infringing upon the restaurant’s trademark” and preferred to avoid a legal dispute over the name.
“For us, the product’s essence remains intact and continues to be our main focus,” De Vito expressed. “The renaming is just a small hurdle, and we are confident that the strain will retain its popularity and respect in the cannabis circle.” He also noted, “Interestingly, the response and recognition from such a distinguished establishment to our strain’s popularity further substantiates the significance of our efforts as a company.”
![The French Laundry issued a cease and desist letter to California-based cannabis company Maven Genetics after the company used its trademark name for one of its products.](https://allthatcannabis.com/storage/2023/12/Front-225x300.jpg)
In 2023, Maven received multiple accolades for the strain, including recognition in the “most unique” strain category at the 2023 California Zalympix awards, as well as commendation at the Emerald Cup.
The French Laundry restaurant, one of the few in California to hold three Michelin stars, trademarked its name in 1998. SFGATE attempted to contact the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group for a statement but received no response by the time of publication.
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