Trademark case on "Parma"

The outcome:

A. ZETA S.R.L. (“Zeta”) appeals the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s (“Board”) decision affirming the trademark examining attorney’s refusal to register the mark PARMA COFFEE because it was primarily geographically descriptive under 15 U.S.C. § 1052(e)(2). For the reasons discussed below, we affirm the Board’s decision. I Zeta filed an application under 15 U.S.C. § 1051(b) to register PARMA COFFEE for “Chocolate; Chocolate-based beverages; Cocoa; Cocoa-based beverages; Coffee extracts; Coffee and coffee substitutes; Honey; Honey substitutes; Natural sweetener; Sugar; Tea; Tea extracts; Tea-based beverages; Preparations for making coffee-based beverages.” Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) 14-20. The examining attorney issued an initial office action preliminarily finding that the proposed mark was primarily geographically descriptive of Parma, Italy and, therefore, refusing registration under 15 U.S.C. § 1052(e)(2). The examining attorney requested a written response from Zeta specifying “where the goods . . . will come from or will originate.” J.A. 24.