Starbucks vs SardarBaksh: Local coffee chain agrees to change logo, name to Sardarji-Bakhsh

After US-based global coffee chain Starbucks filed a suit in July against Delhi-based SardarBuksh for allegedly copying the name and the famous logo of the two-tailed mermaid, the latter has agreed to change its name. SardarBuksh has agreed to run its business under the trademark Sardarji-Bakhsh, something that the Delhi High Court had ordered.  

The partners of SardarBuksh submitted in front of Justice Manmohan that they have exchanged an email with Starbucks where both the parties have agreed to the terms and conditions of the change in logo and name. The Delhi High Court has directed both the parties to adhere to the terms and conditions.

The legal counsel of SardarBuksh submitted that after two months, all of the chain's Delhi outlets will be renamed Sardarji-Bakhsh, as mentioned in a report in The Indian Express. Furthermore, their upcoming 17 outlets will also sport the new branding. Five of the existing outlets will only carry forth the SardarBuksh branding for two more months. Three outlets have already been renamed.  

Chander M Lall, senior advocate who is representing SardarBuksh urged the court to allow them to sue any third party that uses the name 'Bakhsh'. The court accepted their request and ordered that if any third part uses the mark 'Bakhsh' then SardarBuksh holds the right to file a suit against it. SardarBuksh has also been given two months to change its branding.

As told to the daily by Sanmeet Singh Kalra, one of the three partners, SardarBuksh that started from a cart in 2016 currently has 25 outlets in Delhi and they are planning to open more outlets in NCR and nearby areas.

Seattle-based Starbucks had filed a suit in Delhi High Court in July, leading to an order to change Sardarbuksh's name to Sardarji-Bakhsh. They were also asked by the court to change the logo in its interim order. Another partner, Rohit Khamboj said that neither he nor Kalra had ever been to a Starbucks. Khamboj explained that their name is an amalgamation of Sardar and Buksh and that the logo was designed by the internal team.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)