A family-run vegan cafe in Brixton has filed a lawsuit to stop a large US coffee chain from expanding into the UK in an effort to compete with Starbucks, saying that the firm's "very similar" brand is harming the reputation of the cafe's "indie vibe".
The popular plant-based cinnamon buns from south London's Blank Coffee, run by Warner Newman, 34, and Samantha McKinson, 32, are in a trademark battle with Blank Street, a New York company whose founders are using venture capital to support their expansion plans.
The founders of Blank Street Coffee, Vinay Menda and Issam Freiha, say they wish to challenge Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. Their statement of grounds for their opposition to the trademark registration, claims the 11 Blank Street cafes in London are already “causing actual confusion and are damaging the opponent, in that customers are querying the inferiority of the Blank Street product and, assuming the opponent has sold out, complaining about it”.
The US coffee chain, founded in 2020, allegedly plagiarised Newman and McKinson's name as well as their cafe's "distinctive mint green/white/black livery, plain lettering, and were endeavouring to mimic the indie spirit," according to a separate court letter. The US company refuted this.