Small influencer wins $3.5M lawsuit against Impossible Foods after copyright battle

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Impossible Foods will have to pay a significant amount in damages after a court determined they intentionally violated the trademark of a smaller company.

On March 24, 2026, a jury decided in favor of Joel Runyon, a social media influencer, business owner, and endurance athlete, and his company, Impossible LLC, in a lawsuit concerning the rights to the name “IMPOSSIBLE.”

The court awarded a total of $3.25 million, including $1.5 million to cover losses and an extra $1.75 million as punishment.

Jury finds willful infringement in ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ trademark case

The disagreement revolves around Runyon’s continued use of the trademark “IMPOSSIBLE” for its branding in endurance sports, clothing, and nutritional products.

Court records show Runyon created and registered the trademark for its name long before Impossible Foods started using that name and branding for its products. Even though Impossible Foods’ own searches confirmed Runyon had used the name first, the company continued to use it anyway.

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A post shared by Joel Runyon (@joelrunyon)

When Runyon tried to fix the problem, Impossible Foods sued him in federal court, aiming to invalidate his trademarks and seize ownership of the brand.

After over five years of legal battles, the case finally went to court. The jury, made up of eight people, unanimously decided that Impossible Foods had intentionally violated Runyon’s trademark and had acted with malicious intent, deceit, and unfair practices.

Alongside the financial damages, Runyon is also seeking to recover legal fees and court costs.

Honestly, I’m just relieved and thankful the court and jury took the time to really hear us out and reach what feels like a fair decision. It’s a huge weight off our shoulders.

The jury’s decision clearly shows that trademarks are valuable assets and a brand represents more than just a company’s name – it embodies reputation and goodwill. This verdict protects those values, and I’m excited to refocus on expanding my business and encouraging others to achieve ambitious goals.

In 2024, Logan Paul and KSI’s drink company, Prime Hydration, sued Lionel Messi’s brand, “Mas+ By Messi,” because the designs of their hydration drink bottles were similar.

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2026-03-27 21:18