A folk artist in Vermont took on a fast food chain in order to trademark his ‘eat more kale’ phrase.
The Associated Press noted that Bo Muller-Moore built a business around the phrase ‘eat more kale,’ by placing the slogan on everything from T-shirts to bumper stickers. However, he ended up in a legal battle with the nation’s second largest fried chicken retailer over the words.
Muller-Moore tried to trademark the phrase in 2011, but Chick-Fil-A deemed that it was too close to the company’s “Eat Mor Chikin” slogan.
On Thursday, the Montpelier artist won his fight against the restaurant when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted his application to trademark ‘eat more kale.’
After Muller-Moore’s victory was announced Gov. Peter Shumlin, who previously launched a Team Kale YouTube video to raise funds for the artist’s legal fees, released a statement.
"The message is out: Don't mess with Vermont. And don't mess with Bo," Shumlin said. "This isn't just a win for the little guy who stands up to a corporate bully; it's a win for our state. In Vermont, we care about what's in our food, who grows it, and where it comes from.”