Starbucks’ Unicorn lawsuit
Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino
US
There’s nothing magical in a lawsuit filed by a New York City coffee shop against Starbucks Corp.
Starbucks unveiled its Unicorn Frappuccino drink earlier this year but The End Brooklyn and its owner, Montauk Juice Factory, didn’t like the move and filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit May 3 against the coffee giant, Reuters reported citing court documents.
According to the suit, The End Brooklyn already had created the Unicorn Latte, a bright pink and blue drink, and began sales in December four months before Starbucks unveiled the Unicorn Frappuccino. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in New York.
Reuters reported that Montauk Juice Factory filed a trademark application for the Unicorn Latte on Jan. 20 after the popularity of its drink soared, accounting for about a quarter of the store’s sales since its launch.
The lawsuit detailed the similarity in names and appearance that create confusion for the consumer and argued Starbucks should be “held accountable for infringing, diluting, and otherwise diminishing” the plaintiffs’ intellectual property value.
The suit asks Starbucks to pay the plaintiffs all profits made from the Unicorn drink and for any losses that they incurred.