Buc-ee's Launches Another Fight to Protect Trademark
LAKE JACKSON, Texas — Buc-ee's is again taking legal action to protect its trademarks.
The convenience and fuel retailer filed a lawsuit in the Northern District Court of Texas against Dallas-based Super Fuels, alleging infringement based on the company's cartoon logo.
Super Fuels' logo features a dog mascot wearing a red cape, set against a blue circle backdrop. Buc-ee's alleges that this is too similar to its own logo, which features a beaver wearing a red hat, set against a yellow circle backdrop, according to a My San Antonio report.
"[Super Fuels'] use of the infringing marks is likely to cause confusing among consumers in the relevant market as to the source and origin of [Super Fuels'] services," Buc-ee's lawsuit reads. "... [Super Fuels'] infringing marks prominently feature an anthropomorphic and cartoon representation of a smiling animal that closely resembles a beaver, which is similarly positioned in a right-facing angle and is depicted in front of a circular background."
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Super Fuels first began using the dog logo in late 2022. According to Buc-ee's, the company's use of the logo will confuse consumers and leverage Buc-ee's reputation for quality service.
The lawsuit comes two months after Buc-ee's filed a lawsuit against 2 Wiseman Enterprises dba Duckees Drive Thru in Kimberling City, Mo., alleging infringement of two trademarks covering Buc-ee's cartoon beaver logo, two trademarks covering its name, and four trademarks covering its advertising business services and various other Buc-ee's branded goods, as Convenience Store News previously reported.
Additionally, in August 2023 Buc-ee's announced it would take steps to halt use of its intellectual property after a photo of the Buk-II's Super Mercado in Mexico went viral, and in 2017 filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Omaha, Neb.-based Bucky's was trying to confuse consumers with a similar name as it made plans to enter the Texas market.
Founded in 1982, Lake Jackson-based Buc-ee's operates 50 stores, including 35 across Texas, as well as multiple locations in other states.