Stoli Group has unveiled a new bottle and label for the Halapeño Pepper extension of its namesake vodka mark following a trademark challenge from the owner of Tabasco sauce.
The Luxembourg-headquartered company has removed the green foil from the neck of the bottle, swapped the cap and changed the label shape for the latest iteration of the SKU. The group told Global Drinks Intel the redesign followed “the resolution of a trademark-related legal matter concerning the original packaging design of Stoli Halapeño”.
McIlhenny Co, the owner of Tabasco sauce, earlier this year filed a lawsuit in Texas against Stoli Group and subsidiary Louisiana Spirits over the flavoured-vodka extension.
Louisiana-headquartered McIlhenny alleged that initial meetings with Stoli Group were held to explore developing a co-branded pepper-sauce vodka in 2024, but the sauce-owner terminated the discussions. Late last year, Stoli Group unveiled a pepper-infused vodka under its namesake vodka brand. “In other words,” McIlhenny claimed, “when told ‘no’ by McIlhenny, [Stoli Group] took the Tabasco trade dress and, without authorisation, used it to create the infringing trade dress.”
The revelations came in the same week that McIlhenny teamed up with Pernod Ricard’s Absolut brand to launch a co-branded flavoured vodka.
Global Drinks Intel has contacted McIlhenny for comment about the “resolution”, the date of which was not disclosed by Stoli Group.
Last month, Stoli Group released details of a UK Pride activation to coincide with the launch of Stoli Halapeño Pepper in the market.
In January, the group declared its US division, as well as the Kentucky Owl American whiskey business, as bankrupt, ending a year-long battle to save the pair. In November 2024, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for Stoli Group USA and Kentucky Owl.
The voluntary submission, which CEO Chris Caldwell told Global Drinks Intel at the time would “enable us to conduct the financial restructuring required”, was then followed by the move to Chapter 7, meaning the operations will be the subject of a liquidation process.
