WRU forces name change

‘‘We want to move on and leave this behind us. It was an honest mistake and I just want to cut meat and work to make a living to feed my kids.’’

Morrinsville couple Graeme and Sheree Hodges have been overwhelmed and humbled by the support they have received after been forced to completely rebrand their business name.

The Hodges said it was a dream come true when, in 2014, they returned to their hometown to start-up their own butchery business under the name Mooloo Meats.

But that dream was shattered last year when the Waikato Rugby Union (WRU) informed the Hodges that their business name would have to be changed because the reference to Mooloo is a trademark breach.

‘‘It never crossed our minds when we were coming up with the name,’’ Graeme said.

‘‘Morrinsville is a proud cow town and we are proud of our Morrinsville roots, the name was in no way in reference to Waikato Rugby, even though I have always been a big supporter.’’

Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Blair Foote discovered Mooloo Meats while he was driving through Morrinsville in July last year.

‘‘I had never seen it before and thought it was strange that they were using the trademark,’’ Foote said.

He approached the Hodges about a financial sponsorship deal to the tune of $5000 annually in exchange for a licence to use the trademark - But the Hodges weren’t in a position to be able to offer the kind of sponsorship the WRU were after.

Instead they offered a counter deal to sponsor junior rugby with sausage sizzles and meat to the value of $300.

But the WRU board said that wasn’t an option and the Hodges were instead given six months to re-brand.

Foote spoke to WRU’s patent attorneys and was advised to issue a letter to the Hodges explaining the trademark breach and to ask them to stop using the name.

In one final attempt to keep their name, the Hodges asked the WRU if the funds they had saved for a re-brand, about $2000, would be enough to keep the name. The simple answer was no. Foote said he had fielded a number of concerned calls from residents accusing him of being a bully.