Brooklyn Café Is Suing Starbucks Over The Unicorn Frappuccino

It's safe to say Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino brought out a lot of feelings for a lot of people. Instagrammers were over the moon to get their hands on one, frustrated baristas were fed up with having the make the complicated drink, and curious customers were sad when the offer ended before they got a chance to try it. This one colorful drink was a lightning rod for emotions, but now that we're two weeks out from it being taken off the Starbucks menu, most people have managed to move past all of that. And, that's why we were surprised that the mythical Frapp has returned to headlines because it made some folks from a Brooklyn-based café very upset.

In December, The End, a café in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, created the Unicorn Latte. The drink has a blue hue and became popular around Brooklyn for being both beautiful and healthy. According to NBC 4 New York, The End has had a pending trademark on the Unicorn Latte name since January. Now, the café is accusing Starbucks of "overshadowing" the Unicorn Latte with its Unicorn Frappuccino.

Specifically, The End's lawsuit against Starbucks says, "The coordinated social media blitz orchestrated by Starbucks drowned out the fame that any coffee shop in Brooklyn could obtain,” according to New York Daily News. The End also claims that customers will now be confused and think that the big chain is the one being copied after all the widespread attention its Unicorn Frappuccino received. NBC 4 reports that the Brooklyn-based café is seeking "unspecified compensation" and a public apology.

Starbucks has responded with the following statement: “We are aware of the claims and believe they are without merit. The Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino blended beverage was inspired by the fun, spirited and colorful unicorn-themed food and drinks that have been trending in social media." Considering how many successful unicorn-themed treats have hit the market so far, we're guessing that lawsuit or not, these won't be the only rainbow beverages to hit the market this year.