Starbucks eyes 'imitator'

By Jackie Lin
STAFF REPORTER
Taipei Times

Pictured on the coffee cups are a Starbucks logo, right, and the offending logo of Penland Star Coffee, yesterday.

An alleged Starbucks copycat has caught the attention of the world's largest coffee retailer and might face a copyright-infringement suit.

The coffee giant's eyebrow has been raised by a local coffee shop's trademark and name -- Penland Star Coffee, or "star peninsula" in Chinese.

Penland Star's logo, composed of a green circle and white English words surrounding a red pattern with Chinese characters in the middle, is similar to the Starbucks logo at first glance.

"Compared with other coffee shops, there is a higher degree of imitation in the trademark [of Penland Star]," said Anita Jo, a public-relations official with President Coffee Corp, the local firm in charge of operations for the Seattle-based Starbucks.

More...