Sicilian coffee roaster Zicaffe tries to block Zara's new Zacaffe coffee shops

Zicaffe Opposes Zara's Zacaffe Name in EU Trademark Dispute

MADRID (Reuters) - Sicilian coffee roaster Zicaffe has asked the European Union's Intellectual Property Office (EUIOP) to block fashion giant Inditex's use of the name Zacaffe for its new coffee shops, arguing the name is too similar to its own brand.

Family-owned Zicaffe, which roasts and exports coffee blends, lodged its response to the Spanish fashion chain's patent application on December 25, according to official records published on EUIOP's website seen by Reuters.

Zicaffe said 'zi' and 'za' are too close and there is a likelihood of confusion, unfair advantage and harm to the distinctiveness of its own brand.

Inditex did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Vito Zichitella, one of the owners of Zicaffe and the grandson of its founder.

Inditex opened its first Zacaffe coffee shop in a new Zara Man store in Madrid as part of a broader strategy to offer new shopping experiences to boost sales.

The world's biggest listed fast-fashion retailer filed a request to patent the Zacaffe brand on Oct. 7 and people and companies opposing it have until Jan. 10 to respond. A EUIOP registration process takes several weeks and includes possibilities for appeals.

Zacaffe opened in Madrid after Inditex tested coffee areas in stores earlier last year, most notably in Paris and Lisbon, where it sells traditional Portuguese pastries pasteis de nata.

The Inditex coffee shops will have an independent entrance and will be adapted to their locations, the company said when introducing the plan on its website.

Beside Zara, Inditex owns other brands such as Bershka, Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti.

In its home region of Galicia, It has opened a new concept store called El Apartamento with a space for a coffee shop.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Corina Pons;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)