MrBeast took an L against Dee’s Nuts.
According to Business Insider, the popular YouTuber was sued earlier this year by Florida-based businessman Brian Ditore, who accused MrBeast—legal name Jimmy Donaldson—of trademark infringement. The plaintiff took issue with the “Deez Nutz”-branded chocolate bars from MrBeast’s Feastables food line, claiming the flavor name was much too similar to Dee’s Nuts, the gourmet peanut company he owns and operates in Jacksonville.
Ditore reportedly named the company after his late grandmother as a way to pay homage to “her comedic flair.” He said he secured the Dee’s Nuts trademark in 2012 and has significantly expanded the company ever since. According to the suit, Dee’s Nuts’ products are sold in 34 states.
The plaintiff argued that the MrBeast-backed Deez Nutz name was “confusingly similar and phonetically equivalent” to Dee’s Nuts and was, therefore, infringing on his copyright. According to WJXT, Feastables’ legal team pushed back against the claim, saying the “deez nutz” phrase stemmed from Dr. Dre’s 1992 album The Chronic, and is commonly used online.
“Millions of people on the internet have come to use the phrase ‘deez nuts’ as an irreverent way to interject humor or sarcasm into or end a conversation,” Feastables’ lawyers said. “In fact, ‘deez nutz’ ultimately landed in the Urban Dictionary and is defined as a euphemism and slang term.”
A U.S. District Court judge wasn’t convinced, and ruled in favor of Ditore. On Dec. 6, the plaintiff was granted a permanent injunction against Feastables, prohibiting the company from using Deez Nutz on their packaging.
As of Thursday night, Deez Nutz chocolate bars were still available to purchase on Feastable’s online store.
