Momofuku Faces Backlash Over 'Chile Crunch' Trademark Battles with Smaller Companies

Momofuku trademarked "chile crunch" for its popular condiment in 2020, then sent cease-and-desist letters to other manufacturers using similar names
Momofuku and founder David Chang faced backlash for seemingly trying to control the market and stifle competition
Critics argue the trademark is too generic, but Momofuku says the name was created to differentiate their product
Smaller companies like MìLà and Homiah switched to names like "chili crunch" amid Momofuku's growing popularity
Momofuku says it must defend trademarks from large companies copying them, not target small immigrant businesses, and wants "amicable resolutions"