“If you're innovative and the product speaks for itself, you don't have to use legal powers to set yourself apart from competitors,” one Yelp reviewer argued.Īnother Yelp reviewer commented, “Karma will come for your business for the actions taken against innocent people trying to make a living over big corps.” Soon, heavy criticism disapproving of the trademark flooded Third Culture Bakery in the form of phone calls and low ratings on Yelp reviews.
More from NextShark: Singaporean ramen chain introduces 'world's first' chilli crab matcha macchiato drinks One of the Subtle Asian Baking admins wanted to fight the trademark but dropped the case after learning of the cost. “The intention was always to protect ourselves with the trademark and never was to ‘cancel’ anything or anyone else.”īutarbutar and Shyu say they were unaware that their legal team had sent cease-and-desist letters to several bakeries for selling mochi muffins until it was too late.ĬA Bakehouse was one of the bakeries that received a cease-and-desist letter, and when their story went viral on popular Facebook group Subtle Asian Baking baker netizens were in an uproar. More from NextShark: Pizza Hut Taiwan Now Sells Tonkotsu ‘Ramen Pizza’ “We were selling our products to a large cafe chain at the time that told us they are actively seeking for someone to bake their own ‘mochi muffins.’ We were advised that trademarking our product could ward off the threat so we pursued it and was awarded it a year later. “We originally pursued the trademark as a means to protect our business, our livelihoods, and the one singular product that was driving our sales at the time when it was just us two baking and running everything,” Shyu says. “We sincerely believe in our convictions that our little Mochi Muffins and pastries can bring about change for the better for all those communities,” Shyu says.īutarbutar and Shyu say they decided to pursue the trademark of mochi muffins under the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2017 because they were advised that trademarking the product would protect their business. More from NextShark: ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ director films mini-doc about chicken rice war between 2 Singapore hawkers They say they plan to continue to distribute safety kits for as long as they are needed. In 2021, with the help of family, friends and volunteers, they assembled and distributed over 22,000 safety kits with safety alarms to communities and senior homes in Chinatown and other cities in response to the AAPI hate attacks. During the pandemic in 2020, they provided financial support to an emergency relief fund for queer and trans people in San Fransisco. Butarbutar and Shyu use their bakery as a platform to support and empower LGBTQ-plus and Southeast Asian and Asian American communities.
In addition to symbolizing their multiple identities, the muffins also brought communities together. “It’s something so beloved by so many now but comes from a happy-sad past of realizing and sharing his true self and sharing that truth with the world,” Wenter Shyu, Butarbutar’s Taiwanese partner who co-founded Third Culture Bakery in 2016, tells NextShark. More from NextShark: Pizza Hut Indonesia releases dim sum pizza – no, it’s not an April Fools’ joke
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