Takealot has removed all “Takis Fuego” tortilla chips products from its marketplace after local brand Takis Biltong seized the trademarks of Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo in South Africa.
It is also one of the largest bakery companies in the world, with about 140,000 employees and a presence in 35 countries, including South Africa.When it failed to pay Takis Biltong’s costs, the local company attached 89 of Grupo Bimbo’s trademarks in South Africa.The courts have also ordered that the Takis Fuego trademark be cancelled on the grounds that it is too similar to Takis Biltong and is likely to cause confusion in the minds of consumers.
The appeal in the Pretoria High Court ruled that the Takis Fuego logo is visually deceptive or confusingly similar to the Takis logo. “Even this they did not do,” said Andrew Papadopoulos, attorney at Kisch IP which represents Takis Biltong.