Coffee Bean Files Suit Against Starbucks
Los Angeles’ Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has accused rival Starbucks Corp. of stealing the phrase “ice blended” to market a cold coffee drink.
In a lawsuit against the nation’s largest coffee-shop chain, Coffee Bean claims it registered “ice blended” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 1995 and has been using the name since 1986.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, seeks unspecified damages and an order to stop Starbucks from using the phrase “Frappuccino Ice Blended Beverage” in its advertising.
“Starbucks’ acts of trademark infringement have been willful, fraudulent and intended to cause confusion,” the suit says.
Seattle-based Starbucks didn’t immediately return a call for comment. Coffee Bean describes itself as the oldest and largest closely held chain of coffee stores in the world.
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