On June 15th, the founder of the Hong Kong-listed chain restaurant brand “Encounter Noodles” apologized to the husband and wife owners of the “Yu Jian Xiaomian” store in Nanyang City, Henan Province, putting an end to the controversial “big brand suing small family-owned store” incident. Prior to this, “Encounter Noodles” had sued “Yu Jian Xiaomian” for trademark infringement.
In the early hours of June 15th, the founder of Encounter Noodles, Song Qi, issued a “Letter to Yu Jian Xiaomian” through the official corporate account, apologizing to the owners of Yu Jian Xiaomian.
In the letter, it stated, “These past few days, I have reflected on myself and thought about what else I can do besides apologizing. Therefore, I and my team have decided to gift you the registered Class 35 trademark ‘Yu Jian Xiaomian’ at no cost. You can continue to use your sign without worries. If you need to continue applying for a Class 43 trademark (which can still be registered) or have any other needs, we are willing to provide necessary assistance.”
Song Qi characterized this event as a “serious management mistake” and announced the suspension of cooperation with the external law firm, calling for “the scientific and benign development of trademark protection work”.
In the letter, Song Qi recalled that when he started his business 12 years ago, he and his wife also started from a 30-square-meter noodle shop in a small alley in Guangzhou, so he deeply understands the hardships of entrepreneurship. He felt guilty and sorry for the recent trademark dispute.
The owner of Yu Jian Xiaomian responded, “Personally, I cannot easily accept the apology. But for the sake of the industry’s reputation, I choose to accept the apology from an industry perspective.”
Previously, Encounter Noodles sued Yu Jian Xiaomian for trademark infringement. Mrs. Mao, the shop owner, stated that she had not referred to Encounter Noodles’ brand. The case was originally scheduled to be heard on June 17th, but she had not received an official notification from the court, only a call from the other party’s lawyer demanding compensation of seven to eight thousand yuan. She tearfully said, “My noodles that cost eight yuan per bowl, I have to sell at least 1000 bowls to cover the costs.”
This incident sparked controversy, with many Encounter Noodles members showcasing screenshots of refunds on social media to express dissatisfaction, and some consumers even refunded balances of less than 1 yuan in protest.
However, the opinions on whether Encounter Noodles was indeed infringed by Yu Jian Xiaomian are divided in the public discourse. Some believe “rights protection should not be excessive”, while others believe the issues should be handled on a case-by-case basis, letting the law address legal matters and morality address ethical ones.
On June 13th, Encounter Noodles stated that they had immediately communicated to withdraw the lawsuit against Yu Jian Xiaomian and reflected on the process of trademark rights protection actions.
It is reported that “Encounter Noodles” is a chain restaurant brand originating from Guangzhou, with hundreds of stores opened in China by the end of 2025, and it went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in December 2025.