Local food chains finding inspiration from international brands is a common thing but the problem comes when the inspiration transforms into using similar branding for making profits. Coffee giant Starbucks has filed a case against ‘SardarBuksh’, a Delhi-based coffee chain for copying its name and logo and branding purposely. SardarBuksh has five outlets in Delhi and a lot of times people do get confused due to similar-sounding name and logo that this coffee seller has. Starbucks currently has 125 outlets in India and runs 28,000 outlets across the globe.
![Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid](https://www.marketingmind.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/sardarbuksh-cofee-co-netaji-subhash-place-complex-pitampura-delhi-coffee-shops-18d6uc7-700x523.jpg)
Leading to the court’s decision, Sardarbuksh’s name has been changed to Sardarji-Buksh and the US-based global coffee giant is asking for logo change also.
![Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid](https://www.marketingmind.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Starbucks-Itaewon-5.jpg)
“We always prefer to resolve trademark disputes informally and amicably whenever possible, and to prevent confusion among customers,” a Starbucks spokesperson said, on talking about the case. SardarBuksh will promote itself with new branding for its upcoming 30 outlets, while the existing 5 are waiting for the final verdict.
Rohit Khamboj, one of the representers of SardarBuksh said that neither he nor the other co-founder Sandeep Singh Kalra had ever visited a Starbucks. He even defined that the name comes from the combination of Sardar and Buksh and that the logo was also designed by the team.
![Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid Starbucks Sues Delhi Based SardarBuksh For Similar Branding & The Local Coffee Chain Isn't Afraid](https://www.marketingmind.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/sardarbuksh-coffee-and-co-punjabi-bagh-delhi-fast-food-y2533.jpg)
From the above statements, it looks like that a new brand war is on its way as Kalra and Kambhoj, have asked senior lawyers to look into the case while Starbucks is being represented by a popular law firm ‘SS Rana’.
Note that Sardarbuksh is not the one to have a similar sounding like Starbucks, there is a cafe in Pakistan by the name of Sattarbucks.
Also Read: 10 Craziest Knockoff Fast-Food Restaurants Around The World
A similar case made news in 2015 when Ludhiana-based Mr Singh Burger King had to change the name to Mr Singh Food King after Burger King took filed a case against it.
The court has fixed next hearing date on 18th September and it will be interesting to see how both companies react to the final decision.