Mondelez ends 7-year partnership with Ghost after the KDP acquisition, shutting down the long-lasting taste collaborations that helped construct Ghost right into a powerhouse model. Learn the story and see the lawsuit paperwork under.
In a tragic and seemingly-bitter ending to a profitable 7-year partnership, Mondelez has filed a lawsuit in opposition to GHOST, demanding destruction of all remaining branded stock simply two weeks earlier than Ghost’s proposed sell-through date.
In what seems to be fallout from Ghost’s current acquisition by Keurig Dr Pepper, Mondelez Worldwide has filed a lawsuit in opposition to Ghost LLC and Keurig Dr Pepper over the continued use of their branded flavors together with Bitter Patch Children, OREO, Swedish Fish, and others in Ghost’s product lineup.[1]
The go well with, filed on April 24, 2025 within the U.S. District Court docket for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Ghost’s license to make use of these well-known taste collaborations terminated on April 17, 2025, following the completion of Ghost’s acquisition by Keurig Dr Pepper in December 2024.
The Finish of an Period
Ghost Co-Founder and CEO Dan Lourenço addressed the scenario immediately on social media, confirming that Ghost’s iconic Mondelez collaborations are certainly in jeopardy:[2-4]
“A few of my favourite @GhostLifestyle collabs through the years have been our iterations of traditional Mondelez manufacturers. I’m pleased with the way in which we remodeled nostalgic cookies and candies into useful classes”
“Though we fought onerous to ‘hold the band collectively’ Mondelez has determined to not transfer ahead with us on this subsequent chapter of @GhostLifestyle — we simply wish to make cool sh*t however massive corps have their very own priorities. We all know we held up our finish of the deal”
“I’ll miss my Swedish Fish however belief me legends, we have now a lot extra coming that I can’t wait so that you can see. Brick by brick we hold constructing! And with that mentioned, we’ve produced the final of those @GhostLifestyle collabs and there’s restricted inventory remaining. Get them when you can.”
— Dan Lourenço, GHOST Co-Founder and CEO[2-4]
The termination formally ends Ghost’s means to make use of these iconic taste collaborations, which embrace:[5]
KDP Acquisition Triggers Contract Dispute
In a monumental flip of occasions, Ghost Way of life has been acquired by Keurig Dr Pepper in a deal price $1.65 Billion {Dollars}! Our solely query is, when’s the Dr Pepper vitality drink collab?!
On the coronary heart of the dispute is Ghost’s $1.65 billion acquisition by Keurig Dr Pepper, which was introduced in October 2024 and closed on December 31, 2024.
Based on courtroom paperwork, Mondelez claims Ghost breached their licensing settlement by failing to acquire written approval earlier than transferring management to KDP. The criticism alleges this switch of rights triggered a termination clause within the licensing settlement.
Nonetheless, Ghost challenges this interpretation, with the corporate expressing their disappointment that Mondelez Worldwide selected to finish a mutually-beneficial 7-year partnership. They declare that there was not a breach of contract, however it stays to be seen if this may be defended in courtroom, or if it even issues, for the reason that breakup appears fairly “official” at this level.
On condition that KDP is a significant beverage firm that competes in comparable retail channels as Mondelez, the snack big could not need its manufacturers related to a competitor. There seems to be far more than meets the attention, as a result of the licensing deal was fruitful for either side for thus lengthy.
Timing and Alleged Breach
The timing of occasions suggests this dispute stems immediately from the KDP acquisition:
The flavour collab that actually put the business on discover. This picture is from September 16, 2018, and the caption rings true nonetheless to today!
- October 23, 2024: KDP broadcasts settlement to accumulate Ghost
- December 31, 2024: KDP acquisition closes, giving them controlling curiosity in Ghost
- January 29, 2025: Mondelez informs Ghost that their licensing settlement would finish inside three months as a result of acquisition
- March 18, 2025: Mondelez offers formal termination discover, setting April 17, 2025 as the tip date
- April 17, 2025: License formally terminates in line with Mondelez
- April 24, 2025: Mondelez recordsdata lawsuit claiming Ghost continues to promote merchandise bearing their logos
- April 30, 2025: Ghost’s proposed finish date for persevering with to promote remaining stock
Two weeks in discrepancy?!
Apparently, the lawsuit partly facilities round only a two-week discrepancy in sell-off durations: April 17 versus April 30. Mondelez is pushing for no sell-off interval in any respect, demanding rapid destruction of all branded stock. On condition that the case seemingly received’t see a choose till after April 30, this urgency appears peculiar.
Based on the criticism, Ghost by no means sought Mondelez’s written approval for the rights switch earlier than the acquisition closed. Mondelez claims they rejected Ghost’s belated request for approval that got here after the acquisition had already accomplished.
Little question, this was an sudden twist, particularly for the reason that two firms lately got here collectively to defend a lawsuit in opposition to Ghost Vitality for his or her candy-themed branding.
What This Means for Shoppers
Choose dismisses lawsuit in opposition to GHOST Vitality for candy-themed branding, ruling no cheap client would assume Bitter Patch Children drinks are for kids. Main business win.
For Ghost followers, the message is evident from Dan Lourenço’s tweets: “we’ve produced the final of those @GhostLifestyle collabs and there’s restricted inventory remaining. Get them when you can.”
If Mondelez succeeds of their lawsuit, Ghost can be prohibited from:
- Utilizing any Mondelez logos
- Promoting current stock with these branded flavors
- Advertising and marketing merchandise that imitate the flavour of Mondelez’s merchandise
- Utilizing these manufacturers in advertising supplies and social media
The lawsuit asks the courtroom to order Ghost to destroy all items, labels, packaging, and advertising supplies bearing the Mondelez logos, which might remove any remaining stock if granted.
The Enterprise Behind the Dispute
This dispute highlights the complicated enterprise dynamics at play within the complement business. Ghost’s work with Mondelez has been a lengthy-time success, with them first saying the Bitter Patch Children & Swedish Fish in 2018, in what Dan and Ryan Hughes known as “Challenge X”. GHOST Ghost’s acquisition by KDP marked a major evolution for the model that started as an impartial, lifestyle-focused complement firm. As we reported in October 2024, the $1.65 billion deal gave KDP a 60% stake in Ghost, with plans to accumulate the remaining 40% in 2028.
A number of elements counsel this authorized battle could also be about extra than simply contract technicalities:
- Sensible realities: A lot of this stock is already in distribution channels and on retail cabinets. Mondelez’s demand to destroy all remaining stock appears extreme when most merchandise are seemingly already offered to retailers and within the market.
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Current model engagement: As lately as February 2025, Chips Ahoy’s official Instagram account was nonetheless selling their Ghost collaboration,[6] making it troublesome to think about any important harm to Mondelez’s manufacturers in such a brief timeframe.
- Aggressive dynamics: In 2021, Mondelez acquired Grenade,[7] a competitor within the protein bar and useful meals area that competes with Ghost in sure classes. This created a possible battle of curiosity that may clarify Mondelez’s eagerness to finish the Ghost partnership following the KDP deal.
- Monetary issues: Mondelez lately confronted a inventory downgrade from DA Davidson (from Purchase to Impartial),[8] suggesting monetary pressures. Terminating what was seemingly a profitable licensing settlement with Ghost, which in all probability generated hundreds of thousands in royalty earnings, raises questions in regards to the enterprise knowledge behind this choice.
The lawsuit comes as sealed paperwork within the case (which aren’t publicly obtainable) counsel there could also be extra elements at play past only a easy contract dispute. The case has been assigned to the courtroom’s Lanham Act mediation program,[9] which is designed to assist resolve trademark disputes with out full-scale litigation.
The sealed paperwork within the case would possibly present extra perception into these dynamics, however the publicly obtainable data factors to complicated enterprise pursuits at play past a easy contract dispute.
What’s Subsequent for Ghost?
Dan Lourenço stays optimistic about Ghost’s future regardless of this setback: “I’ll miss my Swedish Fish however belief me legends, we have now a lot extra coming that I can’t wait so that you can see. Brick by brick we hold constructing!”
We are able to solely think about the brand new flavors of Ghost Whey that must be coming…
Regardless, Dan appears very enthusiastic about their upcoming product growth. Between KDP and Normal Mills (recall that GM distributes Ghost Protein Cereal), it’s not like they’ve a scarcity of potential modern flavors to deliver to market!
Whereas Ghost has but to file its formal response to the lawsuit, their preliminary assertion and continued sale of the flavors by the tip of April signifies that they in all probability don’t agree with Mondelez’s sell-off calls for. For now, Ghost merchandise that includes these widespread collaborations stay available in shops and on-line, however as Dan mentioned, get ’em when you can.
We’ll proceed to observe this example and supply updates as this authorized battle unfolds, however in the end, it appears to be like like a tragic and bitter ending to what was an unbelievable partnership that moved all the business ahead. For extra particulars on Ghost’s story earlier in 2024, take heed to Dan Lourenço on Episode #143, speaking in regards to the Ghost 100 Yr Plan.
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