When Brand Names Collide: Lessons from the SpudBros Dispute
4 June 2026 · 5 min read
The viral jacket potato brand SpudBros recently found itself at the centre of a trade mark dispute with a new food vendor in Portsmouth, The Spud Father. The issue? SpudBros had already trademarked the name “The Spudfather” – a dish they created in honour of their dad, and their legal team responded to a notification from the Intellectual Property Office when the Portsmouth business attempted to register a similar name. No lawsuit was filed, but the situation quickly escalated online with accusations of bullying and emotional tolls shared publicly by both sides.
This case is a textbook example of how brand protection, or the lack of it, can impact small businesses.
At National Business Register, we see both sides of this every week.
We work with businesses trying to protect the name they’ve built from being copied. We also help small business owners who’ve received letters saying they’re the ones infringing and need to change their brand.
Neither side is the villain. Most of the time, no one set out to cause harm. It’s just that thorough research wasn’t done at the start. Often, it’s because IP isn’t prioritised or understood. It’s not seen as an investment by many.
But those that do back themselves, value their IP, and the brand they’ve built, and are still building, will have IP as part of their growth strategy. Many do this because they’ve already been burnt somewhere along the road.
Trade Marks Aren’t Just for Big Brands
They give you the exclusive right to use your name or logo in your industry and the jurisdictions you register it in. They let you grow, franchise, and sell with confidence. And they stop situations like this from happening in the first place.
If you’re building a business, please don’t wait until there’s a problem.
Why Spudbros Might Be Using a Separate Company to Hold Their Trade Marks
If you’ve been following the Spudbros story, you may have noticed that a separate company appears to have been set up to hold and manage their trade marks. This is a deliberate and strategic choice that many growing businesses make to protect their brand and prepare for future growth.
By placing trade marks into a dedicated holding company, businesses can safeguard their most valuable assets from day-to-day risks. If the trading company runs into financial trouble or faces legal claims, the intellectual property remains protected. This structure also makes it easier to license the brand to other entities, such as franchisees or partners, while keeping control centralised.
For business owners, this approach can also support investment and expansion. A clean and well-managed IP portfolio is easier to value and more attractive to investors. It shows that the business is thinking ahead and taking steps to secure its long-term success.
If you’re building a brand and want to protect it properly, this kind of structure is worth exploring. It’s not just for large companies, it can be a practical and powerful move for any business serious about its identity and future.
Check Your Name. Register it. Protect it.
It’s one of the simplest, most powerful things you can do for your brand.
If you’d like help ensuring that your business and brand is protected you can call us on 0800 069 9090 or email info@nbrg.co.uk.