Kansas hemp companies in trademark dispute over name

A hemp processor in Kansas stands accused of trademark violations by a nearby CBD manufacturer with a similar name.

The case started in October, when KHC Enterprises, which does business as KC Hemp Co. in Overland Park, Kansas, sued KC Hemp Company in Lenexa, Kansas. The towns where the businesses are located about 5 miles apart.

The Overland Park company, which is about 12 miles from Kansas City, Missouri, makes CBD supplements; the latter is a hemp extraction processor.

The plaintiff argues the names are too similar and that KC Hemp Company is trying to confuse customers on purpose. Its lawsuit asks a federal court for unspecified monetary damages.

The defendant has filed a reply denying the allegations without elaborating. A trial date has not been set in the case.