Coca-Cola and Starbucks Fight to Protect Trademarks in Russia

Coca-Cola and Starbucks have applied to re-register their trademarks in Russia following their exit due to the 2022 Ukraine invasion. This move is aimed at protecting their intellectual property. Other companies like IKEA have made similar efforts. Coca-Cola has rebranded its former Russian division while Starbucks' stores have reopened under new ownership as Stars Coffee.

Coca-Cola and Starbucks have applied to re-register their trademarks in Russia to protect their intellectual property rights after exiting in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, domestic business newspaper Vedomosti reported. Coca-Cola filed three trademark applications in April, Vedomosti said, citing documents on the website of Russian intellectual property agency Rospatent.

"Intellectual property assets are of high value and importance to the Coca-Cola Company, and we continuously take steps to enhance and reinforce these assets worldwide," a Coca-Cola spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters. "Our filings in Russia are intended to maintain our trademark rights." Starbucks filed eight similar applications in Russia at the end of May, Vedomosti reported early this month, citing Rospatent.

The Seattle-based company did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of normal business hours. Reuters was unable to locate the documents on Rospatent. The agency did not immediately respond to a comment request.

Other Western firms such as Swedish furniture giant IKEA have filed similar trademark requests in Russia since shuttering their businesses. Starbucks, which once had 130 stores and nearly 2,000 employees in Russia, completed its sale in June 2023. The buyers reopened the chain as Stars Coffee.

Coca-Cola officially stopped the sale in Russia of its key brands, Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Its former Russian division has rebranded as Multon Partners and sells a product called Dobry Cola (Good Cola).

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