Target hit with trademark lawsuit over Good & Gather brand
An Atlanta-based entrepreneur has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Target and its successful new private brand Good & Gather has infringed on her trademark business called Garnish & Gather.
Several news outlets, including USA Today and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reported on the lawsuit filing from Emily Golub, the owner of Garnish & Gather, a company that began in 2013, providing locally sourced meal kits and groceries for delivery to the community.
Per the USA Today story, Golub stated that Target infringed on her business, claiming nearly 50 products within the Good & Gather portfolio overlap with her business, and that the branding of her business (complete with leaf-inspired lettering and circle logo) is too similar to the Good & Gather branding.
In a statement to Store Brands, Target spokesperson Danielle Schumann said: "At Target, we have a deep appreciation and respect for trademarks. We’re aware of this lawsuit and are confident that Target’s brands, including Good & Gather, are distinctive in the marketplace. We’ve shared that feedback with Garnish & Gather and will continue to defend these claims through the legal process."
The statement is similar to that shared with the USA Today and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stories.
Target launched Good & Gather on Sept. 15, currently consisting of 650 products (pastas, sparkling wines, granola bars, meats, and more) with a goal to have 2,000 products under the label by the end of 2020. It will be the retailer’s largest store brand.
The retailer announced solid third quarter sales last week, thanks in part to the launch of Good & Gather. Total revenue for the retailer grew by 4.7% during the quarter, reaching $18.67 billion.
CEO Brian Cornell said during an earnings call last week: “The idea behind the brand is simple: Great food made for real life. Good & Gather incorporates simple, high-quality ingredients without any artificial flavors, synthetic colors, artificial sweeteners, or high fructose corn syrup.”
He continued to say that the response to the brand has been positive. “I think it's really on trend with what the consumer is looking for in food and beverage from Target. Our team has done a fabulous job with the packaging. Despite our strength in own brands overall, we're under-penetrated from a food and beverage standpoint. So we think there is significant upside over time. And we think within the next year or so Good & Gather will likely be our single largest-owned brand at Target.”