BIELEFELD, Germany (dpa): A German kebab chain is taking on US fast-food giant KFC in a dispute over trademark rights to a chicken dish, as both companies use the name "Krispy Kebab."
The smaller company, Krispy Kebab, is based in the western city of Bielefeld and says it has spent years establishing the name in the German market.
"They’re simply using our name, which I’ve spent nearly 10 years building up as a brand," founder and chief executive Sergen Kolcu told dpa on Tuesday. "They knew we existed - and yet they're still just launching this on the market."
Kolcu noted that KFC spells the product "Krispy" with a K rather than "Crispy," which it has used for other menu items.
He said he has asked the US fried chicken chain to stop using the name and plans to take legal action if it does not comply. The name "Krispy Kebab" is registered as a trademark, he added.
The dispute has been further fuelled by a KFC promotional video introducing its new kebab product to the tune of "Alles nur geklaut” ("Everything's Just Stolen,") a song by German pop band Die Prinzen.
Kolcu said the promo reinforces his view that the name has effectively been "stolen" from him.
KFC Germany rejected the accusation, saying it had no intention of making a "cheeky copy."
"The product name emerged as part of an international development and is used in many European markets," the company said, adding: "We don’t want any beef - our focus is, as always, on chicken," playing on the English slang term for a dispute. -- dpa
