Goya Foods, Inc. v. Orion Distributors, Inc.

916 F. Supp. 2d 177, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44433, 2012 WL 1069191
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedMarch 29, 2012
DocketCivil No. 10-1168 (BJM)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 916 F. Supp. 2d 177 (Goya Foods, Inc. v. Orion Distributors, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goya Foods, Inc. v. Orion Distributors, Inc., 916 F. Supp. 2d 177, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44433, 2012 WL 1069191 (prd 2012).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

BRUCE J. McGIVERIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

Goya Foods, Inc. (“Goya”) sued Orion Distributors, Inc. (“Orion”) and Angel M. Navarro (“Navarro”) (collectively, “defendants”), claiming trademark infringement and unfair competition under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051 et seq., trademark and trade dress infringement under Law No. 169 of December 19, 2009, 10 L.P.R.A §§ 223 et seq., violations of moral rights under Law 96 of July 15,1988, 31 L.P.R.A. § 1401f, “common law unfair competition” under the natural justice provision of Article 7 of the Civil Code, 31 L.P.R.A. § 7, and tort liability under Article 1802 of the Civil Code, 31 L.P.R.A. § 5141, arising out of Orion’s marketing of Del Jibarito brand foods. (Docket No. 1). Before the court are cross motions for summary judgment regarding the “likelihood of confusion” element common to Goya’s Lanham Act claims. (Docket Nos. 22, 23). Defendants replied to and opposed Goya’s motion (Docket No. 35), and Goya further replied (Docket No. 36). For the reasons that follow, Goya’s motion for partial summary judgment is granted, and defendants’ motion is denied.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The facts of the case are summarized here after applying Local Rule 56, which structures the presentation of proof at summary judgment.1 Of particular note here is Goya’s failure to either (1) submit a Local Rule 56(b) statement of facts in support of its own motion for summary judgment, or (2) admit, deny, or qualify defendants’ statement of facts in accordance with Local Rule 56(c). Defendants raised the matter in their reply motion (Docket No. 35, p. 13), but Goya did not respond in its surreply. {See Docket No. 36). Because Goya’s failure to follow the local rule is plain, and because it has had ample opportunity to respond or correct its error, defendants’ statement of uncontested material facts is DEEMED ADMITTED. See P.R Am. Ins. Co. v. Rivera-Vásquez, 603 F.3d 125, 130-32 (1st Cir.2010) (addressing application of Local Rule 56 in cross motions for summary judgment). I [180]*180nonetheless do not accept the conclusory statements regarding differences between Goya and Orion’s product labeling as facts, and have not set them forth below. (See, e.g., Docket No. 22, p. 13-17, hereinafter “Facts,” ¶ 9) (“Goya’s ‘El Jibarito’ mark creates a substantially different overall impression than Orion’s ‘Del Jibarito’ mark.”).

Goya owns the registered trademark El Jibarito. (Facts, ¶ 1). The mark was registered in 1955 under the category of “canned vegetables,” with international class number 29. (Id, ¶ 10). Between 1955 and 2007, Goya only sold dry2 pigeon peas under the brand; in 2007, Goya expanded the brand to rice and other types of beans, specifically, black beans, small white beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, and pink beans. (Id, ¶ 11; Docket No. 22-9, p. 8-9). Goya produced a 15-year sales report of El Jibarito brand goods showing sales by case and by total units sold. (Docket No. 22-13).

Orion has marketed Del Jibarito goods since February 19, 2009. (Facts, ¶ 17). Orion registered the trademark Del Jibarito with the USPTO, effective March 22, 2011. (Id, ¶ 22). Orion’s products are “bread and pastries” — essentially, ready-to-eat sweets. (Id, ¶ 12). On November 4, 2009, Orion approached Goya seeking a partnership to distribute Del Jibarito goods in U.S. markets; at a meeting with Miguel Collin, Goya’s product buyer, Collin expressed interest in further negotiations, and did not mention Goya’s El Jibarito brand. (Id., ¶¶ 18-19).3

Orion was not aware of El Jibarito until Goya sued on November 16, 2009. (Id., ¶¶ 20-21). Orion has never sold and has no plans to sell canned grains or vegetables. (Id., ¶ 13). Orion knew there was no trademark similar to Del Jibarito registered for “bread and pastries” or International Class No. 30 in either U.S. or Puerto Rico registries. (Id., ¶ 23). Navarro is not aware of any instances of confusion between EL JIBARITO and Del Jibarito products. (Id., ¶ 16). Orion developed the logo and package styling using independent contractors. (Id., ¶ 24).

Goya and Orion labels and product packaging are reproduced at the end of this opinion.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment is appropriate when “the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). A fact is material only if it “might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law,” [181]*181Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986), and “[a] ‘genuine’ issue is one that could be resolved in favor of either party.” Calero-Cerezo v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 355 F.3d 6, 19 (1st Cir.2004). The court does not weigh the facts, but instead ascertains whether the “evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Leary v. Dalton, 58 F.3d 748, 751 (1st Cir.1995).

“[A] party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying those portions of the [evidence] ... which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Crawford-El v. Britton, 523 U.S. 574, 600 n. 22, 118 S.Ct. 1584, 140 L.Ed.2d 759 (1998) (quoting Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)); Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c)(1). Once this threshold is met, the burden shifts to the nonmoving party, who “must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). However, the court draws inferences and evaluates facts “in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party,” Leary, 58 F.3d at 751, and an evaluating court may not “superimpose [its] own ideas of probability and likelihood (no matter how reasonable those ideas may be) upon the facts of the record.” Greenburg v. P.R. Maritime Shipping Auth., 835 F.2d 932, 936 (1st Cir.1987). Nonetheless, summary judgment is appropriate where the nonmoving party rests entirely upon “conclusory allegations, improbable inferences, and unsupported speculation” on any essential element of the claim.

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Bluebook (online)
916 F. Supp. 2d 177, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44433, 2012 WL 1069191, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goya-foods-inc-v-orion-distributors-inc-prd-2012.