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Defiant Jacques Torres Fights Hershey Lawyers Over Kiss
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 23, 2009
Modified Apr 23, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 23, 2009
Modified Apr 23, 2009
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For two years now, gourmet chocolate maker Jacque Torres has been selling a pink Champagne bon bon called the "Champagne Kiss." But the Hershey Corporation is worried that customers shopping for cheap, proletariat candy might get confused and buy his Kiss instead, which costs $1.50 each, instead of their waxy sugar pellets. So earlier this month their lawyers sent him a C&D, demanding he immediately retire his Champagne Kiss. But Torres won't pucker up! His lawyers have fired back, and in a letter obtained by Grub Street, they argue that the comparing the two products is analogous to "Chevrolet complaining that Rolls Royce is infringing on the Chevrolet trademark." Furthermore! "This is yet another example of a giant, monolithic corporation attempting to take advantage of 'the little guy,' in this case, a world-renowned artisan from France." An irate Torres tells Grub Street, "They don’t own the world! No way am I going to give up on [the kiss]—it’s completely unfair!" Oh merde, it is on!
Tagged
champagne kiss
chocolate
hershey
jacques torres
kiss
lawsuit
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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