The owners of a Southland food van famous for a Canadian-style potato chip, gravy and cheese dish are disappointed that BP Oil New Zealand has chosen the same trading name for bp Connect in-store food hubs around the country.

Southland tourism industry identities Johan Groters and Joyce Kolk opened the Good Mood Food van at Clifden Bridge about four years ago.

BP Oil New Zealand communications specialist Gordon Gillan said this week the Good Mood Food service was first launched at bp Connect stores in 2018.

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It was now being offered at 89 service stations around New Zealand, although the brand has not yet reached Southland.

“We are sorry to hear about this concern. Our focus is on developing offers that our customers enjoy, and we're committed to investing in our offer, our people and the communities we operate in,’’ Mr Gillan said.

Mr Groters and Ms Kolk are no strangers to business and domain name issues.

They also own WJet (Wairaurahiri Jet (1994) Ltd), and previously took steps to protect and clarify its identity from that of competing jet boat company Wairaurahiri Wilderness Jet (formerly Humpridge Jets).

Four years ago, the couple launched a second river experience, Southern Scenic Jets, on the Wairau River at Clifden Bridge, and opened the Good Mood Food van there to feed their customers.

Before Covid-19 they were enjoying strong business, serving coffee, hamburgers, poutine and cheese rolls to everyone from local contractors in their tractors to tourists in camper vans.

“We are probably a wee bit sensitive because we have a wee bit of trouble in the past with the jet boat [name] . . . it is sort of ongoing, so we are a bit used to that. But we have been to the domain names and got that [jet boat issue] sorted,’’ Mr Groters said.

“When we started [Good Mood Food], Joyce’s daughter came up with the name and we looked around and made sure no one else was using it. There was a food book, but nothing else . . . We did check and make sure we were not swiping somebody’s name,’’ Mr Groters said.

They did not register Good Mood Food with the Companies Office as it was just a trading name and their company name is Wairaurahiri Jet 1994 Ltd. 

“To register the trading name is an expensive process . . . We haven’t done that and very few people do,” Mr Groters said.

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Joyce’s daughter recently sent them information about the bp Connect food service, but the couple has not been in touch with the company to discuss the use of the Good Mood Food name.

Nor have they taken legal advice. “To talk to a lawyer, we would have a bill,’’ Mr Groters said.

“From past experience, there is not a great deal we can do as far as we know. You can go to the Commerce Commission if they are impinging on what you are doing. You are not allowed to pretend to be somebody else,’’ Mr Groters said.

However, he agreed BP did not have a food van outside a petrol station just up the road. The closest BP station to Clifden Bridge is 80km south, in Invercargill. There are other BPs in Gore and Queenstown.

“But it would have been easy for them to research our name. They would just have to google it and it would come flying straight up,’’ Mr Groters said.

Mr Gillan said Good Mood Food was “a descriptive term that notifies the availability of certain products at bp Connect sites’’.

The service began at five bp Connect sites around Auckland and the southernmost sites with Good Mood Food categories were currently in Christchurch, Mr Gillan said.

“The in-store food hub focuses on ice cream, doughnuts and take-home meals. Every bp Connect site also offers a Wild Bean Cafe and a convenience store,” he said.