Iraq: Amazing! Fake ‘Starbucks’ in Iraq, but getting real coffee
Starbucks in Iraq: An interesting case has emerged from Iraq. Here everything from Starbucks’ signboard to its napkins is real, but still, the cafe is illegal. Even after this, the coffee is completely real. Here Starbucks goods are imported from neighboring countries.
Highlights
⏩ Real coffee is available in illegal Starbucks in Iraq.
⏩ Starbucks is being run in Iraq without a mandatory license.
⏩ Here Starbucks goods are imported from neighboring countries.
Baghdad. Everything from the ‘signboard’ to its ‘napkin’ of ‘Starbucks’ located in Iraq is real, but still, the cafe is illegal. Because they are being run without compulsory licenses. The original Starbucks ingredients for the three cafes in the city are imported from neighboring countries. That’s why it gets quite real. Although all are being run illegally.
Violation of intellectual property rights is common in Iraq, and US officials and companies consider it a growing problem. Iraq has emerged as a hotbed of trademark infringement. This problem is present in all sectors from retail to broadcasting and ‘pharmaceutical’. Starbucks filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop these, claiming infringement of its trademark. But the matter did not move forward after his lawyers were allegedly threatened by the owner.
US officials and Iraqi legal sources said they intimidated lawyers with threats of ties to militias and major political figures. Amin Makhushi, the owner of Illegal Cafe, said in an interview in September that I am a businessman. He rejected the allegations of threatening and said that I wanted to open Starbucks in Iraq. Makhushi explained that after the official agent of Starbucks in the Middle East did not accept his request for a license, he intended to open it this way and I was prepared to face the consequences.
He said in October that he had sold it and the cafe is still running. When contacted by The Associated Press, a Starbucks spokesperson said on Wednesday that it was considering further action. The spokesperson said that it is our obligation to stop such infringements to maintain our intellectual property rights.
