Supermac’s expansion blow

The international trademark war between the two ‘Big Macs’ of the fast food world here, McDonald’s and Supermac’s, has moved to the UK and Europe.

Yesterday, it emerged that McDonald’s has been successful in putting on hold Supermacs’s expansion plans into Australia by formally objecting to the Galway-based company registering its trademark there.

Supermac’s supremo, Pat MacDonagh yesterday admitted that the firm’s planned Sydney outlet would be up and running at this stage only for the trademark objection lodged.

Now, it has emerged that the ‘David and Goliath’ fast food struggle has moved to a second continent, with McDonald’s objecting to Supermac’s trademark being registered in Europe and the UK.

Last year, McDonald’s boasted global revenues of $7 billion, serving 70 million people in 100 countries every day and Supermac’s, in comparison, is a very successful Irish firm now hurtling towards revenues of €100m this year due to steady expansion during the recession.

The move by McDonald’s — which has lodged a 59-page objection to Supermac’s being registered as a UK and EU trademark — has been successful in frustrating Supermac’s expansion plans into Britain before they even get off the ground. The Irish firm had sought its Supermac’s trademark to be registered in the UK in preparation for expansion into that lucrative market.

However, Mr MacDonagh confirmed “we have no definite plans yet” on opening Supermac’s outlets in the UK.