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CBD Craze Is Creating a Trademark Problem for a Coffee Brand in Maine
Suddenly cannabidiol is everywhere and that has a 25-year-old company pondering legal action against competitors.
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For a 25-year-old coffee brand in Maine, the cannabis compound CBD is more than just a trendy ingredient. It’s a trademark.
Mary Allen Lindemann and Alan Spear opened Coffee By Design in 1994, selling coffee and espresso in an area of Portland once known as a “porn district.” Within a few years, the coffee shop had a nickname among locals: “CBD.” For a while, that wasn’t an issue. The company opened four other locations in Maine and branched out into wholesale, selling its beans as far away as Tokyo.