The lawsuit asserts that Chobani’s redesign of its La Colombe RTD cold-brew range directly infringes upon Danone’s established intellectual property. Danone argues that Chobani’s adoption of a prominent yellow-and-black color palette alongside the phrase “Bright & Mellow” creates consumer confusion in retail cold cases, effectively mimicking the aesthetic identity SToK built around its own “Bright & Mellow” roast profile.

In its motion to dismiss, Chobani argued that terms like “bright” and “mellow” are common descriptive words routinely used throughout the coffee industry to describe flavor profiles rather than protectable brand identifiers. Chobani further contended that no reasonable consumer would confuse the two brands, characterizing Danone’s legal action as an attempt to stifle competition following Chobani’s $900 million acquisition of La Colombe.

However, Judge Rochon determined that Danone had presented a plausible claim that “Bright & Mellow” functions as a protectable trademark and that the combination of similar packaging layout and wording supports a reasonable inference of intent. The ruling allows Danone’s claims of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and deceptive trade practices to advance toward discovery and a potential trial.