Federal Court Permits MASTER CHOCOLAT Trademark Registration

In a June 2026 decision, the Federal Court of Canada overturned an earlier Trademark Opposition Board ruling and permitted GRC Food Services Ltd., a Calgary-based chocolate company, to register the trademark MASTER CHOCOLAT. The court found that Lindt failed to establish a likelihood of confusion with its own marks, including Chocolate Masters and Lindt Master Chocolatier.

Lindt had opposed the application, arguing that MASTER CHOCOLAT was confusingly similar to its existing registrations and would mislead consumers regarding the source or quality of the goods. The Opposition Board had partially sided with Lindt on one ground but the Federal Court conducted a de novo review and ruled in favor of registration.

The ruling allows GRC to proceed with federal protection for its mark, which the company has used since 2015. The case underscores the standards for assessing descriptiveness and confusion in Canadian trademark oppositions involving common industry terms.