Baristas is owned by Baristas Coffee Company!

by chee leng-Oncoffeemakers
(Singapore)

If they have the means, the next time you used Baristas on any of your promotional materials, you will be sued!

This is because Baristas Coffee Company just received a trademark certificate for "Baristas". So, they owned the "word" Baristas.

I am not a lawyer, but I know that trademarking is basically a license to sue. So, for example if you are in New York (I think Baristas Coffee Company is not operating there yet) and you used the term Baristas, and if they have the money, they will sue you.

For folks that operate out of US, no worries. They need to trademark it in every country in order for it to work. So, for folks in Singapore, we can probably still use the term "Baristas".

The question is, isn't Baristas a common term, how can it be trademarked? Then again, not too long ago, I shared on how an Indonesian court awarded the term "Kopitiam" which means cafe in local slang to one company.

I guess, it is really up to the court and the lawyer submitting the trademark to argue, but it is probably possible to trademark any terms if you are able to come out with a good story.

My $0.02

Baristas coffee company is an interesting coffee company with an interesting concept. They have good looking ladies that are also the baristas that serves great coffee.

They probably can expand rapidly without the use of this legal weapon. But, I guess everyone just want to buy a piece of assurance.

In the same manner that tech company are buying patents to protect their core products. Baristas Coffee Company are buying these probably to protect their interest against any other companies that might trademark it and wage lawsuit against them.

I am more curious to know if there will be other terms that are trademarked along the way. What if one day, some company is being awarded the term, espresso?

Being such a common word, don't think that will happened, then again, baristas is a pretty common word too right?

I guess right now, in the area where Baristas Coffee company can exercise their trademark, companies will not be able to use the term baristas.

So, does that applies to bigger company such as Starbucks? Henceforth, no cafes or coffee shops in those areas will be able to call the person making coffee -Baristas?

Wonder if this is how it is going to work. If you have further information, do share it with us...