Migros to change name of its ‘Cronuts’ pastries

The Cronut, a cross between a doughnut and a croissant, became a runaway hit in Manhattan after it was launched in May by French pastry chef Dominique Ansel at his bakery.

Migros started to produce its own versions in August at its Jowa bakery, selling them at supermarkets in Zurich and Lucerne, a move that upset Ansel, whose company issued a statement decrying the fact Migros “copied our creation and stole our name”.

But Migros said on Monday it was deciding on its own initiative to rename its Cronuts even though it registered its own trademark for the product in Switzerland in July.

At the time, the cooperative had no idea that Ansel planned to commercialize his invention in countries other than the United States.

“Migros acted in good faith and in a correct manner,” Monika Weibel, spokeswoman for Migros told the SDA news agency.

Confirming a report from the Schweiz am Sonntag newespaper, Weibel told the SDA that the coop decided to act of its own accord after receiving a letter from Ansel’s Swiss legal representative.

The company earlier acknowledged that it sent staff over to New York to check out the Cronuts but it said it developed its own recipe for its versions, which come with various toppings.

Migros has not yet announced a new name for the Cronuts.

Three years ago the retailer was forced to change the name of its ice cream brand Jane and Mary’s because it was too similar to Ben & Jerry’s, a brand now owned by Unilever.

It was renamed “Mary Jane’s”.