Rebel Creamery files for bankruptcy protection
Rebel Creamery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing a $23.8M trademark lawsuit to Van Leeuwen over similar packaging.Summary
Rebel Creamery LLC, a popular ice cream manufacturer selling products at Walmart and Target, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah on August 14. The filing follows a July 16 ruling by Judge Eric Komitee of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which awarded Van Leeuwen $23.8 million in disgorged profits for trademark infringement. The court found that Rebel Creamery intentionally copied Van Leeuwen’s packaging design, including monochromatic pints, pastel colors, and minimalist aesthetics, leading to marketplace confusion. Van Leeuwen, founded in 2008 and having redesigned its packaging in 2016, sued Rebel Creamery in April 2021. Rebel Creamery, established in September 2017, began using similar packaging in August 2018. The bankruptcy filing temporarily suspends all legal proceedings against the company as it restructures its debts, which range between $10 million and $50 million in assets and liabilities.
(Source：Ary News)