SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A court in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais issued a preliminary injunction in favor of Brazilian company Coffee +, ordering global giant Nestlé to stop using the Coffee + brand, according to a court document seen by Reuters.
Judge Claudia Helena Batista granted Coffee++’s request for a temporary injunction on Wednesday, citing potential harm to the Brazilian company caused by consumer “confusion” between the brands.
Nestlé could face unspecified fines if it fails to comply with the ruling and remove all items bearing the Coffee+ logo from physical and online points of sale, according to the ruling.
“The defendant (Nestle)’s use of an identical mark owned by the plaintiff could cause harm to the applicant, since it may generate confusion among the general consumer population,” Batista said.
The ruling is temporary, but Coffee++ has pledged that it will not back down from the dispute.
“We will fight until the end to defend what we have built with legitimacy, hard work and love for Brazilian coffee,” said Leonardo Montesanto, CEO and Partner of Coffee++. “What is at stake is not just Coffee++. We are defending the sovereignty of Brazilian brands.”
It said Coffee++ has been the legal owner of the trademark since 2020 “for products in the coffee sector.”
She added that Coffee++ is preparing for international expansion and will participate in trade fairs in Dubai and Paris in 2026, but it faces “an attempt to get rid of one of the largest companies in the world.”
Nestlé did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
She added that Coffee++ has already registered its trademark in more than 30 countries, including the European Union, Japan and Argentina, and is registering the trademark elsewhere.
The Brazilian company said it initially tried to resolve the matter out of court, but to no avail. Instead of making a decision, Nestlé filed a lawsuit on September 24 seeking to invalidate the Coffee++ trademark in Brazil, the company said.
“We will continue to act with full transparency and determination, and take all necessary legal measures to protect what is rightfully ours,” Montesanto said.
(Reporting by Roberto Samora in Sao Paulo; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Matthew Lewis)