Pakistan’s ‘Sattar Baksh’ Wins Trademark Battle Against World-Famous ‘Starbucks’

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News Desk:

In a trademark dispute, the globally renowned coffee brand Starbucks has lost a legal battle against Pakistan’s local café, Sattar Baksh. The Pakistani café features a mustached man in its green circular logo, which many considered a parody of Starbucks’ famous mermaid logo.

Starbucks initiated legal action over the logo, but the court in Pakistan ultimately ruled in favor of Sattar Baksh.

This ruling was highlighted in a research paper published on September 4 in the journal Trends in Intellectual Property Research (TIPR) by Dr. Hasan Murad of the University of Management and Technology, Lahore. TIPR is a biannual peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes research on intellectual property rights.

Sattar Baksh was launched in 2013 by entrepreneurs Rizwan Ahmed and Adnan Yousuf. From the beginning, its name and logo sparked discussion. The founders maintain that it is not an imitation, but rather a culturally rooted and satirical brand.

In addition to the logo, Sattar Baksh’s menu is unique, blending local and international flavors—from burgers and pizza to Caesar salad. For example, their “Besharam Burger” is served without bread, while the “LOC Pizza” playfully represents the India-Pakistan border by separating vegetarian and non-vegetarian sections.

Under Pakistan’s trademark law, there is no allowance for consumer confusion from imitating a well-known brand. Starbucks had claimed that Sattar Baksh violated this rule. However, the local café argued that their name and design are satirical and culturally inspired, and the originality of their menu further proves they are not copying.

The court sided with Sattar Baksh, allowing the café to continue its operations.

Source: Gulf News