Separate Riverside County, Calif., retailers Sprouts Natural Market and Sprouts Farmers Market have initially settled their name conflict, according to the North County Times in San Diego. The smaller company—Sprouts Natural Market—won a preliminary injunction on Thursday, Sept. 27.
The injunction forbids the Phoenix chain, Sprouts Farmers Market, from rebranding the acquired Henry’s Farmers Market stores in the area with the Sprouts name. The two companies merged in January and now operate under the Sprouts Farmers Market brand. The North County Times reports that friction between the two separate Sprouts arose last year after the rebranding began.
"The Court finds the evidence of customer confusion and the risk of being put out of business sufficient to demonstrate irreparable harm," U.S. District Judge John A. Houston wrote of the Temecula Sprouts [Natural Market] in his decision.
Though Sprouts Natural Market won its case in Riverside County, it also failed to have the decision extended into nearby San Diego County.
