Chili crisp, a fiery red condiment rooted in Chinese cuisine, is a pantry staple for households nationwide thanks to several businesses — big and small alike — that have released their own brands. Made with fried chili pepper and aromatics infused in oil, the condiment can be found at restaurants and local supermarkets (i.e. Trader Joe’s). There’s even a cookbook solely dedicated to chili crisp.
In recent weeks, the terms “chili crunch” and “chile crunch,” renditions of chili crisp, have found themselves at the center of controversy after David Chang's food empire Momofuku Goods sought to trademark the label, much to the dismay of independent companies. According to The Guardian, the brand sent cease-and-desist letters to companies using “chili crunch” and “chile crunch” on their condiment labels. Momofuku, which successfully trademarked the term “chile crunch” (spelled with an “e”) back in 2023, is also attempting to trademark “chili crunch” (spelled with an “i”) with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
