A Mexican woman went to London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, to study a master’s degree in Digital Media at the London Metropolitan University. This is Michelle Salazar, originally from Hermosillo, Sonora, and who is part of the founding family of Happy chicken.
He finished his master’s degree in 2017 and the opportunity came to apply for a Entrepreneur visa through the university. Michelle had to do a business project and she thought of opening a branch of Happy Chicken in the city of London.
So get to work! She and her boyfriend Sam Napier (now her husband) opened a Happy Chicken in a small location located in an outdoor food market. However, a month after the inauguration they had to close due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back in action!
Michelle Salazar opened a new business and with great success due to the novelty in London of flour tortillas, a northern specialty that the entrepreneur has had to learn and master. Michelle’s Sonoran-style flour tortillas are said to be the only ones in all of London, and perhaps England.
On the Instagram of Sonora Taqueria They were enthusiastically publishing how the renovations of their premises were progressing, until its opening day in June 2022. Their menu includes carne asada, adobada, head, campechano, chorizo, barbecue tacos, quesadillas and micheladas that caused a sensation among Londoners.
“We have had absolutely crazy weeks. We are exhausted, but very happy and grateful for the team we have built and for the people who have come to try our food and support our new taquería”, they published on their Instagram.
Before the Sonora taco shop, Michelle and her husband had a stand selling two pieces of chicken with beans, a quesadilla, and a grilled green pepper. With homemade Jamaican water.
Sued by British for the use of the word “taquería”
Everything was going well with their business, until in 2022 a London restaurant sued them for the use of the word taco shop. How ironic! British entrepreneurs, Trent Alexander Ward and Daniele Benatoff, demand that Mexicans not use the word taquería in their premises.
The “offended” company is Worldwide Taquería, whose trade name is Taqueria UKwhich on his Instagram is defined as Mexican Taqueria Restaurant in London. The owners of Taquería UK already have two branches where they sell steak tacos, al pastor, chicken milanesa, cochinita pibil, etc. They argue that using the word taquería is a clear infringement of their 2014 trademark.
So they asked Michelle and Sam in a 20-page letter to cease and desist from using the word “taco shop.” The Mexican entrepreneur defends herself by saying that “taquería” is a generic term and does not refer to the British company.
Concerned and frightened by the possibility of losing her savings due to the legal lawsuit, Michelle Salazar from Sonora published the letter from Worldwide Taquería on her social networks.
This sparked outrage and criticism of Taquería UK’s position for trying to register a generic term as their own and intimidating others with legal action.
The annoyance was not only from the Mexican community living in London, but also from the defenders of Mexican culture. Those who see in this situation an attempt at cultural appropriation by the British restaurant.
The Mexican entrepreneur and her husband even received support from lawyers. Also the Mexican community in the UK took the initiative to create a signature petition on the change.org platform to support Sonora Taquería and all the taco restaurants that have also been harassed by Taquería UK for using the word “taquería”.
The happy ending
Michelle and Sam continue with their taqueria and say they can continue to use the term because apparently the case against them “seems pretty dead in the water.”
Although Michelle and Sam ensure that they do not infringe copyright. Trent Alexander Ward and Daniele Benatoff, owners of Taquería UK, say they must give consent to use the word. Because the UK Trademark Registry has granted them the exclusive right.
Anyway, the Sonora taco shop is still alive! Although at the moment it is closed for electrical repairs. On the Sonora Taquería Instagram they announced that they must fix these failures so that they can operate their equipment safely.
Demand for his increasingly popular tacos has been overwhelming. They have not yet been able to satisfy all the requests. But they are doing everything they can to improve.