RTIC must redesign product, pay YETI
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Cooler rivals YETI and RTIC reached an agreement this week in U.S. District Court in Texas.
The legal battle between YETI and RTIC is over, and RTIC must redesign its products and pay YETI an undisclosed sum, according to a settlement reached in U.S. District Court this week.
YETI sued RTIC alleging patent, trade dress, and trademark infringement and unfair competition. The Austin-based brand said in a news release Thursday that the settlement was “favorable” to YETI. RTIC must immediately stop selling the products in question, which include insulated beverage containers and soft- and hard-sided coolers.
“We are extremely pleased with the results we have achieved,” YETI CEO Matt Reintjes said in the release. “We will continue to defend our innovation and intellectual property. This is a true win.”
RTIC, based in the Houston suburb of Cypress, started selling coolers in 2015 that looked similar in style to YETI’s. RTIC specifically mentioned YETI in its advertisements, with claims like “Half the price of a YETI cooler & holds more ice!”
RTIC’s website shows side-by-side comparisons between the two brands’ products.
“The dispute has been amicably resolved,” RTIC co-founder John Jacobsen told the Houston Chronicle. “And as part of the agreement, RTIC has agreed to redesign its products.”
YETI said it would not comment on the settlement beyond its press release.
