Berkeley, Californiaโs Supersonic Coffee is changing names. After three years under the epithet, the specialty coffee roaster is rebranding as AKA Coffee after threat of legal action from Sonic Drive-In for brand โdilutionโ.
In a statement released by AKA nรฉe Supersonic, Managing Director John Laird states:
Laird continues:
The press release notes that while the coffee roaster and the fast food restaurant occupy different market spaces, Sonicโs lawyers claimed potential for brand confusion โand statedโin no uncertain termsโthat when Supersonic Coffee opened any retail operations, Sonic would pursue legal action to defend their trademarks.โ
Personally, I think Sonicโs claim has some legs. I canโt begin to count the number of times I was at the drive-in trying to get a nice cup of Chelelektu only to be given a chilidog instead. Or how I would go to the Supersonic website to order some of that good ice, from the back of the freezer (shout out to all my fellow former rollerblading Sonic carhops) only to be shut out time and time again.
Supersonic beganย roasting and shipping coffee under the new name as ofย October 24th, with plans for a retail space to open in the East Bay some time in 2017. Their full statement can be found here.
Zac Cadwaladerย is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.