ST. LOUIS - Gruma Corporation, known for its "Mission" brand of Mexican food products, has filed a trademark infringement and unfair competition lawsuit against Mission Taco LLC, alleging the unauthorized use of the name and related trademarks.
Plaintiff Gruma Corporation, doing business as Mission Foods, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri against Mission Taco, LLC, MTJ Crossroads, LLC, MTJ CWE, LLC, MTJ St. Charles, LLC, MTJ Kirkland, LLC, MTJ Woodsmill, LLC, MTJ Leawood, LLC, Midwest Masa, LLC, TRG Catering, LLC, TRG Investments, LLC, and Tilford Restaurant Group, LLC, citing allegations of copyright infringement.
According to the lawsuit, Gruma Corporation is a 60-year-old established corporation known for its Mission brand of tortillas, chips, and other Mexican food products. Gruma claims that it holds various federally registered trademarks for the Mission name and design across its line of products, which features a distinctive logo depicting a bell and a bell tower resembling a Spanish mission.
The lawsuit contends that defendant Mission Taco LLC and its subsidiaries has adopted a logo that is similar to that belonging to the plaintiff's logo. The plaintiff claims that this has caused confusion among consumers due to the similarity of the names and the presence of the MISSION brand in the market. Mission Taco's expansion into various locations, including restaurants, sports stadiums, and food trucks, has raised concerns about potential further confusion among customers.
Gruma is requesting a trial jury to seek injunctive relief, ordering the defendants to stop using the name and mark featuring "Mission, "Mission Taco," or any similar marks that could cause confusion among customers. Additionally, the plaintiff demands the removal and destruction of any promotional materials, menus, or signage bearing the disputed marks. The plaintiff is represented in this case by attorneys Matthew A. Braunel and Brendan M. Bement of Thompson Coburn, LLP in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri case number 4:23-CV-01235