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Cartel Foods, a Martinborough frozen burrito company, has suggested that it could take legal action against a group of people who were offended by the brand that “glorified” the drug cartels.
Design researcher and academic Diana Albarrán González led a petition called “No for your consumption. Stop denigrating Mexicans / Latinos and the culture for profit. ”
She wanted reforms to the intellectual property law, to prevent companies “from profiting from harmful stereotypes of minority and immigrant communities.”
Álbarran González said he looked forward to meeting with Cartel Foods owners Melissa and Jason Philips to discuss why the Mexican and Latin American community in Aotearoa felt offended by the company that used religious images and “glorified” the drug cartels, but in change they were told that they were their legal options ”.
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After the petition was posted online, Philips posted on their Facebook page that they felt “threatened and unsafe” after receiving “a series of negative messages.”
“While we were unable to meet this week with those who originally raised their concerns about the Cartel Food Company, and having previously apologized to the person we offended through our private messages … we are absolutely committed to finding a time when We can have a constructive and balanced conversation, aiming to find a fair and reasonable outcome.
Piers Fuller / Stuff
Cartel Food Company owners Melissa Philips and Jason Philips started the Martinborough company in 2015.
“As a small business in New Zealand, the safety and well-being of our entire team, as well as that of our business, is incredibly important to us. For the safety of our staff, family and supply chain, we will communicate offline regarding this conversation until further notice. “
SUPPLIED
Design researcher Diana Albarran González says that the failure of Cartel Food to engage with the Latin American and Mexican community in New Zealand is disappointing.
About a week later, the couple sent an email to Albarran González suggesting they could take legal action against her if she continued to “publicly discredit or make unsubstantiated claims.”
“We are requesting that you cease and desist from any additional activities designed to publicly discredit our business. Yes [you] If we continue to seek to publicly discredit or make unsubstantiated claims about our business or products, we will be compelled to receive advice on our legal rights. “
Álbarran González said that she too had faced abuse, as she appeared to be the only voice behind the campaign.
She said she was not the only one offended by the brand, as others had left messages on the Cartel Foods social media page.
“It is not our intention to negatively affect them, we tried to talk to them several times,” he said.
The Phillips refused to speak to Things.
Álbarran González said he was not trying to highlight Cartel Foods, as there were other companies that were also using similar tactics to sell their products.
SCREENSHOT
Cartel Foods’ Facebook post to customers saying they felt threatened by negative messages they received from people after the petition was posted.
Burger Cartel in Whanganui named its burgers and meals after notorious drug dealers or cartels.
Names on their menus included Colombian conflict, Pablo Escobar, and Sinaloa after the largest drug trafficking syndicate in the Americas.
Burger Cartel owner Rick Rickshaw said anyone offended by the names of his burgers had to “grow up.”
“Considering that there are no people from the Latin American, Mexican or Colombian communities in Whanganui, I think you are being a bit valuable.”
SCREENSHOT
The Cartel Burger menu was offensive, says Diana Albarran González.
Albarran González said he had friends who had come to New Zealand as refugees, fleeing drug cartel-related conflicts in their South American countries.
“People have a vision of what South America is like through the American media and movies, but these are serious problems. It is not a joke.
“It’s like making references to terrorists. It’s just not appropriate, ”Álbarran González said.
Alex Sims, associate professor at the University of Auckland, said it was not possible to register a trademark that would offend a significant part of the community.
“But I don’t think Cartel Food will reach that threshold, as I assume that offended people would not be an important part of the New Zealand community. The problem is really a matter of morality rather than law … although the law may not be being broken, this highlights that other things may be more important than the law and that companies that adhere to strict law can find yourself on the wrong side of public opinion. “
