Pinkberry serves up lawsuits to six yogurt shops
Pinkberry is accusing the businesses of deliberately emulating its highly distinctive branding.
Tiffany Hsu of the LA Times, reports Pinkberry Inc. is seeking to freeze out imitators filed six lawsuits this week against what it contends are copycat frozen yogurt shops.
Pinkberry is accusing Yoberry in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Yoberry in Washington; Yogiberry in Olney, Md.; Pingo Yogurt in Alhambra; Monkee’s Teriyaki in Venice; and Peachberry in Long Beach and Gardena of deliberately emulating its “highly distinctive branding.”
The businesses were either reproducing Pinkberry’s fruit-shaped swirl logo, duplicating the minimalist layout of its stores or filching parts of its name, said Mark Friedman, the company’s vice president and general counsel.
Some of Pinkberry’s promotional material was doctored with another store’s name, one lawsuit alleges. Another claims that photos belonging to Pinkberry were altered and displayed.
“Our brand and our logo really caught on,” Friedman said. “These businesses are copying Pinkberry’s success in order to ride our tailcoats.”
Ever since Pinkberry opened in 2005, it has developed a cult following with its simple menu of yogurt. Its three flavors – original, green tea and coffee – can be paired with assorted toppings such as blueberries, strawberries and coconut flakes.
Friedman says he hears about possible knockoffs about four times a week. There’s Pinksweetberry and Razzleberry in Japan, Myberry in France and others in locales including Taiwan, Singapore and Vancouver, Canada, he said.
Imitators are often discovered when customers ask if Pinkberry is affiliated with a similar-looking business, or when people send the company congratulatory notes for opening in an area where Pinkberry has no store, Friedman said.
The privately held company has 65 stores in California and New York.
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Comments
What’s that saying: “Imitation is the best form of flattery” but I guess PinkBerry isn’t really flattered if the other knock-offs are grabbing some of their flattering revenue!
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