Stateside Sues AB InBev, Alleging Surfside Trademark Infringement

Philadelphia’s Stateside Brands has sued top brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, alleging that the design of its Skimmers brand infringes on that of Stateside’s fast-growing Surfside label. Stateside says Skimmers’ packaging mimics that of Surfside, with markedly similar elements to the two brands’ trade dress, and could cause consumer confusion.

Stateside wants the federal court in Philadelphia to issue an injunction mandating that AB InBev change Skimmers’ packaging to eliminate confusion, and also seeks unspecified damages related to sales of Skimmers. AB InBev said it would vigorously defend against the suit.

Surfside recently won Spirits Brand of the Year honors from Market Watch after nearing 4.7 million cases on exponential growth last year. This year, the brand climbed by more than 200% in off-premise channels in the first half, continuing its torrid ascent.

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