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The Frisby case: Can someone else register your trademark in another country?
Recently, many Colombians were surprised to see posts on social media announcing the supposed arrival of Frisby, the well-known fried chicken chain, in Spain.
The posts featured the iconic chicken character, original logo, and full visual identity that has represented this company from Pereira for over 48 years.
But here’s the catch: Frisby never authorized the use of its brand.
What’s going on?
Through accounts like @frisby.es on Instagram and TikTok, and a website registered in Spain, announcements were made about opening new locations in Europe.
However, Frisby Colombia released an official statement clarifying that they are not connected to this company and have not started operations in that continent.
Meanwhile, the company in Spain claimed to have legally registered the “Frisby” brand with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and therefore has the right to use it commercially, open locations, and offer franchises.
How is this even possible?
As surprising as it may seem, yes—someone else can register “your” brand in another country, even if you’ve been using it for decades in Colombia.
Why?
Because of the principle of territoriality, a core concept in trademark law.
What is the principle of territoriality?
This principle means that a trademark registered in one country is only protected within that country.
In other words: if you registered your brand in Colombia, no one else can use it there, but they might be able to register and use it legally elsewhere if you haven’t done it yourself.
What does this mean in practice?
- If you don’t register your trademark abroad, it’s exposed and unprotected in other countries.
- If someone else registers it first, even in good faith, they may legally exploit it there.
- Recovering it can be expensive, complex, and time-consuming—as Frisby is now finding out.
Frisby will have to take legal action in international courts, relying on arguments related to unfair competition and unauthorized commercial use of its brand identity. But these processes are neither quick nor cheap.
How can you prevent this from happening to you?
✅ Register your trademark in every country where you operate—or plan to operate.
✅ If your brand has international potential, act early, before someone else does.
✅ You can also apply for international registration under the Madrid Protocol, which lets you register in multiple countries through a single process.
What if you're already using your brand, but haven’t registered it outside Colombia?
Now is the time to act. Trademark protection is not automatic.
At Nexo Legal, we can help you identify the countries where you need protection and manage the entire process for you—legally and strategically.
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After submitting the form, your case undergoes a comprehensive review by our team of specialist to assess its viability. Providing clear and concise information about your objectives accelerates this process.
Subsequently, a specialist will be assigned to your case, reaching out to you within a day to clear up details about your case and outline the next steps to help you achieve your goals.
Get started with a free case assessment
What will happen after you fill out this form?
After submitting the form, your case undergoes a comprehensive review by our team of specialist to assess its viability. Providing clear and concise information about your objectives accelerates this process.
Subsequently, a specialist will be assigned to your case, reaching out to you within a day to clear up details about your case and outline the next steps to help you achieve your goals.