Stoli changed the packaging for its spicy vodka following a lawsuit from Tabasco owner McIlhenny Company that claimed the original design was too similar to the iconic hot sauce.
The packaging changes are part of a settlement agreement between the two companies. McIlhenny previously claimed that Stoli’s Halapeño Pepper Vodka bottle, which included clear glass with a narrow neck, red cap and green label, was confusingly similar to Tabasco hot sauce.
Stoli and McIlhenny were in talks to collaborate on a spicy vodka in late 2024, McIlhenny claimed in the lawsuit, but the hot sauce maker “ultimately decided to go in a different direction and terminated discussions.” Around the same time as Stoli’s product launch, Tabasco collaborated with Absolut on a similar product.
A federal judge sided with the Tabasco maker and ordered that Stoli may not infringe on Tabasco’s disputed trade dress rights. The judge also forbade Stoli from falsely claiming a sponsorship or affiliation between the companies.
Stoli’s new Halapeño Pepper Vodka bottle has a green cap and red label, and it doesn’t feature a circular design for the product name.
The complaint was filed in January as part of Stoli’s bankruptcy proceedings. Owner Stoli Group, which also owns Kentucky Owl, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2024.
A Stoli spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to Food Dive’s request for comment.
