Momofuku backs down from defending its 'chile crunch' trademark after outcry by small businesses

Momofuku, a food and restaurant brand started by chef David Chang, says it won’t defend its trademark on the name “chile crunch” after it sparked an outcry by sending cease-and-desist letters to other businesses using the term. Momofuku started selling its Chili Crunch product in 2020, a crunchy spicy oil with dried peppers and other ingredients like sesame seeds and garlic. It’s a riff on Chinese condiment chili crisp and other similar products from other countries. Momofuku acquired the trademark for the name chile crunch from Chile Colonial in 2023.