Starbucks Sued for Stealing Coffee-Flavored Lip Balm Idea

People love coffee. This has led to coffee flavoring being used in everything from candles, to soap and now lip balm. But a California company is now suing the coffee giant, alleging that Starbucks stole their idea for coffee-flavored lip balm.

As reported by Reuters, Balmuccino, an LA-based manufacturer of coffee-flavored lip balms, has filed a suit against Starbucks, claiming they stole “Confidential information about plans for a coffee-flavored lip balm to create its S’Mores Frappucino lip-gloss kit.” According to the suit, Balmuccino initially met with Starbucks back in 2017 to discuss a potential partnership.

In that meeting with Starbucks head of product development Mesh Gelman, per the suit, the lip balm company gave “Prototypes of its lip balms, supplier information, research, results and other confidential details,” which a short time later Starbucks reach out to one of the suppliers to “Request prototypes for its own lip balms using the same specifications Balmuccino gave Gelman.” The suit alleges that the lip balm was then released in 2019 as Starbucks’ “S’Mores Frappucino Sip Kit,” in celebration of the drink returning to the menu.

A version of the lawsuit was initially filed in California in 2019 and later dismissed due to the state court believe they lacked the proper jurisdiction. The current lawsuit has been filed with a Seattle federal court.

Even right there at your local Starbucks, legal disputes can be found. They are EVERYWHERE! And when those things negatively impact YOU and/or YOUR business including bankruptcies, landlord/tenant matters including unlawful detainers, contract issues, nuisance ADA claims and even collections, call in your good guy business litigator, Dean Sperling to resolve YOUR matter with YOUR best interests in mind! 

More on the case:
https://sprudge.com/starbucks-is-being-sued-for-stealing-lip-balm-allegedly-193275.html