Just days after I wrote about Mondelēz threatening legal action against independent vegan chocolate business Catherine’s Originals, another much-loved name in the vegan chocolate world has found itself in the multinational’s sights.
This time it’s Moo Free Chocolates, a fiercely independent, family-owned British business that has been making delicious dairy-free chocolate since 2010.
Read more below.
Mondelēz has sent the company a legal letter challenging its use of the words Snowball and Snowballs in the name of its White Choccy Snowballs product.
Yes, really. White Choccy Snowballs.
Mondelēz owns Cadbury and says the words Snowball and Snowballs are protected trademarks for chocolate confectionery. Its Cadbury Mini Snow Balls are made with Dairy Milk chocolate covered in a crispy white icing sugar shell. Moo Free’s product is biscuit-flavoured rice balls covered in dairy-free white chocolate.
Moo Free has reportedly been selling its Snowballs for around two years. The company says it does not accept that any infringement has been established and has responded to Mondelēz. The multinational has demanded that Moo Free stop selling the product, although it says no legal action has been taken at this stage and that it remains open to an amicable resolution.
I find this whole situation incredibly frustrating.
There is something particularly disproportionate about a global confectionery corporation putting this kind of pressure on a small independent business over a familiar festive word. Snowballs are a recognisable type of sweet treat, not an invention exclusive to one chocolate company. And these are clearly different products, made for different customers.
I am not pretending to be a trade mark lawyer, and I understand that companies have intellectual property rights. But there is a difference between protecting a genuine brand identity and using considerable corporate resources to make life difficult for a much smaller business. From the outside, this feels like an unnecessarily heavy-handed response.
What makes it especially upsetting is knowing what Moo Free represents. Founded by Mike and Andrea Jessop, the business began because they struggled to find chocolate treats suitable for children with food allergies. It has grown into an established independent brand with a dedicated free-from factory, making products for people who might otherwise be excluded from the fun of chocolate treats.
Moo Free is not some faceless corporation. It is a family business with a clear purpose, a strong ethical focus, and a place in the lives of people who rely on genuinely inclusive food products. It deserves support, not unnecessary legal pressure from a multinational with vastly greater resources.
And this is where the vegan community can make a difference.
If you want to show solidarity with Moo Free, please consider buying its products. You can find Moo Free chocolates in ASDA, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, as well as directly from the company’s website. If you spot the White Choccy Snowballs, why not pick some up? And if you can’t find those, there are plenty of other delicious vegan treats in the range.
I would also encourage people to contact Mondelēz and let the company know how disappointing this situation is. It has a public contact form for UK customers. A polite message explaining that you support independent vegan businesses and are unhappy to see a small company facing this kind of pressure would be a useful way to make your feelings known.
We should not underestimate the power of customers speaking up.
I wrote recently about the situation facing Catherine’s Originals and the legal battle over its O’bar. Now Moo Free is facing its own challenge. Two independent vegan chocolate businesses, two very different trademark disputes, and one enormous multinational behind them.
I want to see independent vegan businesses thrive. I want to see them creating exciting products, reaching new customers, and making food more inclusive. I don’t want to see them spending precious time, money, and energy dealing with legal threats that could have a devastating impact on a small company.
Please support Moo Free if you can. Buy its chocolate, share this story, and let Mondelēz know what you think.
Let’s show these independent businesses that they are not standing alone.
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