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Knightsbridge restaurant Zuma wins legal fight with dog food firm over its name

Legal row: Zuma in Knightsbridge: Graham Hussey
Legal row: Zuma in Knightsbridge: Graham Hussey

A Knightsbridge restaurant has won a legal fight with a brand of dog food which shares its name over fears that diners would be turned off its five-star food.

Modern Japanese dining room Zuma clashed with entrepreneur Zoe Vanderbilt when she established her luxury brand of pet food in 2014.

Chef and co-founder of the restaurant, Ranier Becker, complained that Ms Vanderbilt’s product, Zuma’s Choice Pet Products Ltd, could confuse his customers, particularly as she was using the website name dineinwithzuma.com.

Ms Vanderbilt argued she had named her company after her beloved pet, Zuma, a Japanese Akita/German shepherd cross.

But Judge Melissa Clarke agreed with restaurant owners Azumi Ltd, ruling that Ms Vanderbilt can keep the dog food name but must stop using the website and Zuma brand.

Pet food brand Dine in with Zuma
Pet food brand Dine in with Zuma

Zuma the restaurant has attracted celebrity diners including Beyonce, Tony Blair, Sienna Miller and Lady Gaga since it opened in in 2002, and is regularly rated as offering London’s best Japanese food.

At the High Court, Mr Becker complained that his top-class meals were being viewed alongside dog food that is “quite unpleasant to eat for many people”.

“Sometimes it smells, sometimes it is just unpleasant and people many times associate dog food with bad food,” he said.

Zuma co-founder Ranier Becker (Krestine Havemann)
Zuma co-founder Ranier Becker (Krestine Havemann)

“I know people would associate that food for the animals with my food served in my restaurant.”

Simon Malynicz QC, for Azumi Ltd, said the dineinwithzuma.com website refers to dogs “dining”, telling the court: “Dogs eat, they do not dine”.

Judge Clarke was shown press clippings praising Zuma for its “spectacular decor and buzzing atmosphere”, bringing a turnover of £14 million in 2015, and apparently becoming a favourite late-night spot for Hollywood star Kevin Spacey.

In contrast, Kingston-based Zuma’s Choice Pet Products has not yet had any sales, although Ms Vanderbilt told the court she hopes to build a high-quality brand stocked by high-end supermarkets like Waitrose.

Zuma attracts celebrity diners including Sienna Miller (Dave Benett)
Zuma attracts celebrity diners including Sienna Miller (Dave Benett)

In May 2015, she offered to sell to Mr Becker the business and internet domain name for £500,000, believing the company is set to take a share of the £2 billion-a-year UK pet food market.

She argued that her products, with flavours including slow-braised pork, cheesy mash and chicken and lentils, were “very high quality, fresh dog food made from human-grade food”.

But the judge ruled: “I am satisfied that there is... an inherent tension between dog food and human food of any type and an even greater tension between dog food and food served to humans in high quality restaurants such as Zuma.”

The association with dog food would “adversely affect, or tarnish, the image or reputation” that the restaurant had built up over many years.” The judge also dismissed Ms Vanderbilt’s “own name” defence because Zuma the dog “is not a party to the proceedings, nor is it a natural person or company”.

The judge added that negotiations between Ms Vanderbilt and the restaurant had been “perfectly proper, polite and professional”, and commended both parties for their evidence.

Speaking at her home in Kingston today, Ms Vanderbilt said: “I am very disappointed with the court’s decision and am considering all my options.”