One of Texas' best known and largest grocery chains is being challenged by Trader Joe's Co. in what could herald the West Coast grocer’s entry into the state.
For two years H.E. Butt Grocery Co. has planned a new low-cost chain it’s calling Joe V’s Smart Shop, and the company launched a pilot store in Houston on May 5.
But on April 26, Trader Joe’s sent HEB a letter telling it to immediately cease and desist its use of the word “Joe” and threatened to “pursue any and all available legal remedies” if those demands were not met, according to Western District federal court records.
While Trader Joe’s alleges the new name will cause confusion among the consuming public, HEB is asking a federal judge to give it a green light to use the new name, according to records.
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