Chicago's Aloha Poke Company has trademarked the two Hawaiian words together and has sent 'cease and desist' letters to Hawaiian restaurants using 'aloha' and 'poke' in their name.
Aloha means many things in Hawaiian, including hello and love, while poke is a local dish with seasoned chunks of raw fish.
The chief executive of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kuhio Lewis, said the issue first came to their attention via social media as more businesses started receiving the letters.
