Anheuser-Busch has dropped opposition to a trademark for North Carolina craft brewery, Natty Greene’s. The brewery had previously made attempts to block the brewery’s attempt to protect their name late last year.
Natty Greene’s Brewery (Greensboro, NC) filed to trademark their name in August. The brewery was named for Nathanael Greene, a general and hero of the Revolutionary War. His tactics help drive British general Charles Cornwallis out of the Carolinas. There are nearly 100 cities, counties and streets named for Greene across the United States.
Despite the brewery being in business for more than 10 years now, AB-InBev attempted to block the trademark, because of brand confusion. Especially with Natty Light beer. The opposition, as AB states, relates their “established right in NATTY-related trademarks.”
Failure to receive the trademark will not have prevent Natty Greene’s from selling any of their beers, but the name would have been changed. Beer Street Journal has checked multiple trademark databases, and Natty Greene’s has not yet received their approved trademark. (As of time of this post.)
