Boojum boss criticizes supermarket giant for ‘similar’ Mexican private label range
Imitation is perhaps the most sincere form of flattery, but for the owner of Belfast’s most beloved burrito bar, it’s downright frustrating.
Boojum chief executive David Maxwell has slammed Morrisons supermarket chain for its own “lookalike” brand, which he claims is almost identical to that created by the Mexican culinary sensation.
Born and raised in Belfast, David runs the business which now has 17 restaurants across the city alongside Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork.
Boojum recently launched a whole new line of ready meals in collaboration with Henderson Group to bring their signature flavors to customers at home.
Posting to social media on Thursday afternoon, Mr Maxwell shared a photo of Morrisons’ Mexican range alongside an image of Boojum’s own brand.
Mr Maxwell told Belfast Live he was made aware of the supermarket’s brand after being contacted by a Boojum customer, who sent a screenshot of the product on a shelf at a Morrisons store on the other water side.
There are currently no Morrisons stores in Northern Ireland.
He says it’s a particularly difficult pill to swallow after everything the hospitality industry had to endure during the Covid pandemic.
“The client told us he didn’t realize that Boojum had been launched in the UK, but soon realized it wasn’t really us,” said Maxwell.
“While we always try to see the fun side of things, it is particularly boring. A team of very hardworking people have spent endless hours developing this brand for us and at great expense.”
Mr Maxwell added: “For someone to come in and grab it and wrap it around a line of products similar to ours is a bad move from a big brand like Morrisons. They would have a lot more resources and creative and talented people in their organization.
“The similarities are there to see in terms of colors, fonts, text orientation, etc.”
(Photo: David Maxwell)
Mr Maxwell said he hoped Morrisons would reach out and explain his position.
“Big supermarket brands are used to looking for ideas from small independents. It has been going on for a long time,” he added.
“The little brands need to stand up and be counted when these types of incidents happen. In this particular case, Boojum is not a brand that lets go and lets things like this happen, so we are waiting for a reply.”
Belfast Live has contacted Morrisons for comment.