Starbucks Faces $10M Lawsuit Over Unicorn Frappuccino

Brooklyn coffee shop says Starbucks ripped off its Unicorn Latte
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted May 6, 2017 2:04 PM CDT
Starbucks Faces $10M Lawsuit Over Unicorn Frappuccino
Starbucks is being sued by a Brooklyn coffee shop that claims the coffee giant's Unicorn Frappuccino is a ripoff of its Unicorn Latte.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

It seems unicorn-themed drinks aren't quite as rare as their namesake. Munchies reports a Brooklyn coffee shop is suing Starbucks for $10 million, alleging the coffee giant's Unicorn Frappuccino infringed on its trademark. The End started selling its Unicorn Latte in December and filed for a trademark in January. Starbucks' colorful drink was available for a few days in April. The End co-owner Bret Caretsky says the Unicorn Latte is "the most popular product we've created" and they were "shocked and disappointed" when Starbucks unveiled the Unicorn Frappuccino.

The lawsuit claims customers now believe The End copied Starbucks' drink, and the shop has been further harmed by the "derision and ridicule" lobbed at the Unicorn Frappuccino, the New York Daily News reports. The lawsuit argues the Unicorn Latte was a "social media sensation" until Starbucks' "coordinated social media blitz" to make the Unicorn Frappuccino look like the only game in town. While neither drink contains coffee, the similarities—besides the bright coloring—end there, according to the AP. The End says the Unicorn Latte is a health drink containing things like dates, ginger root, and algae. The Unicorn Frappuccino is milk-based and has a lot of sugar. Starbucks says The End's lawsuit is "without merit," as unicorn-themed food and drinks are pretty much everywhere at this point. (More Starbucks stories.)

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