‘Call Your Mother’ Bagel Shop Reaches Settlement with ‘Call Your Bubbi’

The District of Columbia-based bagel chain Call Your Mother Corp. has reached a settlement in its trademark infringement case against a New Jersey bagel shop named Bubbi Bagels. The dispute arose over Bubbi’s use of the phrase “Call Your Bubbi” in its marketing materials.

Call Your Mother claimed that the similarity in the phrases and branding, particularly in relation to overlapping products and marketing channels, created a “likelihood of consumer confusion, mistake, or deception as to source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement.” This assertion highlights the potential for customers to mistakenly associate the two brands.

In their legal argument, Call Your Mother emphasized the cultural significance of the terms “Mother” and “Bubbi” within Jewish tradition. They noted that both terms refer to a Jewish matriarch, evoking a sense of warmth and familial connection. The complaint filed in federal district court in New Jersey elaborated, stating, “For Jewish delis – whose brand narratives often center on tradition, comfort, and family recipes – both marks evoke the same core idea – a warm and loving (but also somewhat instructive or scolding) prompt to call your mother or grandmother, and to grab some coffee and bagels while you are at it.”

Details of the settlement, filed this week, remain undisclosed. Interestingly, the Bubbi website continues to feature the phrase Call Your Bubbi, although it is uncertain whether any design changes have been implemented following the settlement.

The Call Your Mother brand was founded by Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana, who began their journey by selling coffee, bagels, and related foods at farmer’s markets in Washington, D.C. Dana aimed to create a brand that reflected his Jewish family traditions, while Moreira infused her Argentinian heritage into the venture.

Since its inception, the company has expanded significantly, now boasting 18 locations, which they refer to as “Jew-ish” shops, across D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado. The duo has plans for further expansion, indicating a strong growth trajectory.

Last August, the founders of Call Your Mother became aware that Bubbi Bagels, which operates a single shop in Long Branch, New Jersey, was using the phrase Call Your Bubbi in its marketing efforts. According to the complaint, Bubbi Bagels did not respond to a request to cease using the phrase, prompting the legal action.

The District of Columbia-based bagel chain Call Your Mother Corp. has reached a settlement in its trademark infringement case against a New Jersey bagel shop named Bubbi Bagels. The dispute arose over Bubbi’s use of the phrase “Call Your Bubbi” in its marketing materials.

Call Your Mother claimed that the similarity in the phrases and branding, particularly in relation to overlapping products and marketing channels, created a “likelihood of consumer confusion, mistake, or deception as to source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement.” This assertion highlights the potential for customers to mistakenly associate the two brands.

In their legal argument, Call Your Mother emphasized the cultural significance of the terms “Mother” and “Bubbi” within Jewish tradition. They noted that both terms refer to a Jewish matriarch, evoking a sense of warmth and familial connection. The complaint filed in federal district court in New Jersey elaborated, stating, “For Jewish delis – whose brand narratives often center on tradition, comfort, and family recipes – both marks evoke the same core idea – a warm and loving (but also somewhat instructive or scolding) prompt to call your mother or grandmother, and to grab some coffee and bagels while you are at it.”

Details of the settlement, filed this week, remain undisclosed. Interestingly, the Bubbi website continues to feature the phrase Call Your Bubbi, although it is uncertain whether any design changes have been implemented following the settlement.

The Call Your Mother brand was founded by Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana, who began their journey by selling coffee, bagels, and related foods at farmer’s markets in Washington, D.C. Dana aimed to create a brand that reflected his Jewish family traditions, while Moreira infused her Argentinian heritage into the venture.

Since its inception, the company has expanded significantly, now boasting 18 locations, which they refer to as “Jew-ish” shops, across D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado. The duo has plans for further expansion, indicating a strong growth trajectory.

Last August, the founders of Call Your Mother became aware that Bubbi Bagels, which operates a single shop in Long Branch, New Jersey, was using the phrase Call Your Bubbi in its marketing efforts. According to the complaint, Bubbi Bagels did not respond to a request to cease using the phrase, prompting the legal action.