Japanese fish market in NYC says Wegmans stole its sashimi bar concept for its Astor Place megastore

A NYC sushi restaurant owner has claimed Wegmans is 'bullying' him and is suing the grocery store for copying his sashimi bar concept and stealing his fish vendor. 

Yuji Haraguchi runs Osakana - a sushi restaurant and Japanese-style fish market in the East Village, which is just three blocks away from the gigantic new Wegmans that opened on Astor Place. 

Haraguchi filed a lawsuit in New York Superior Court against Wegmans along with three other defendants, including his previous fish vendor, and is claiming the new superstore ripped of his concept and scammed him into revealing trade secrets.

In the filing, Haraguchi alleged there was common law trademark infringement, common law unfair competition, deceptive practices, and unjust enrichment. He is seeking a minimum of $500,000 in damages. 

Wegmans has denied the allegations - calling Haraguchi's claims 'reckless.' 

Small business owner Yuji Haraguchi, who runs Osakana - a sushi restaurant in the East Village, just three blocks away from the gigantic new Wegmans that opened on Astor Place

The Wegmans branding (pictured) was so similar to Osakana that Haraguchi received at least 10 messages of 'congratulations' from friends and family who saw press for the Wegmans opening and thought that he had collaborated with the grocery chain

'Osakana' means 'honor your fish' and 'sakanaya' translates to 'fish market' in Japanese. Both names use near-identical fonts for the brand's logo. Pictured: Haraguchi's logo

Haraguchi told DailyMail.com that he and his family had to move out New York by the end of March - and he hired a consultant to help him sell his popular local business. 

He was approached by a company called Culimer USA, who 'planned' to buy the business, and the pair signed a non-disclosure agreement so they could exchange information freely and executed a non-binding letter of intent.

Haraguchi divulged information about his high-end fish products, which are renowned as top notch, with the company - including where he got his produce from, which fish and in what volume he ordered as well as financial and consumer statistics from his eight-year-old business. 

However, just one month later the new Wegmans opened along with its sushi business called 'Sakanaya', a very similar name to Harguchi's 'Osakana'. 

The branding was so similar to Osakana that Haraguchi received at least 10 messages of 'congratulations' from friends and family who saw press for the Wegmans opening and thought that he had collaborated with the grocery chain. 

To keep the alleged 'scam' going, Culimer allegedly drafted a purchase agreement a month after Wegmans opened it doors to New Yorkers, however just one week later they pulled out of the sale completely and left Haraguchi high and dry. 

The defendants in the lawsuit, Culimer USA, Culinary Collaborations, Red Shell Sushi and Wegmans, allegedly worked together to squeeze information from Haraguchi about his successful business model - only to then implement it in their opening of Sakanaya. 

'Osakana' means 'honor your fish' and 'sakanaya' translates to 'fish market' in Japanese. Both names use near-identical fonts for the brand's logo. 

To keep the alleged 'scam' going - Culimer drafted a purchase agreement a month after Wegmans opened it doors to New Yorkers, however just one week later they pulled out of the sale completely and left Haraguchi high and dry

The defendants in the lawsuit, Culimer USA, Culinary Collaborations, Red Shell Sushi and Wegmans, allegedly worked together to squeeze information from Haraguchi about his successful business model - only to then implement it in their opening of Sakanaya

Haraguchi organized a petition on Change.org to 'shut down Wegman's Sakanaya,' citing 'fraud, breach of contracts, trademark infringement and more

Haraguchi told DailyMail.com that many small business owners have reached out to him and opened up about how they have been affected by large corporations ripping off ideas and concepts

Lawyers for the defendants have said that Haraguchi's claims have 'no merit,' which he has called 'insulting' and shared that the response made him 'very upset.'

'This lawsuit has no merit. None of the Defendants, including Wegmans, stole anything from Mr. Haraguchi or his company, Osakana,' the lawyers told DailyMail.com

'We will address Mr. Haraguchi’s many reckless and misleading allegations in court.'

Haraguchi organized a petition on Change.org to 'shut down Wegman's Sakanaya,' citing 'fraud, breach of contracts, trademark infringement and more.'

The petition has received 4,200 signatures so far - as locals living in the Big Apple rallied around the business owner during his plight. 

Haraguchi, who also has a restaurant in Brooklyn, told DailyMail.com that many small business owners have reached out to him and opened up about how they have been affected by large corporations ripping off ideas and concepts. 

He says he is 'raising his voice' for other small business owners that have been walked all over by corporations.