Starbucks Corporation, which suspended its operations in Russia following the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, has submitted applications to register 14 trademarks in the country. This information has emerged from Russian media, particularly reported by Kommersant.
The trademark applications filed with Rospatent, the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property, cover various classes as defined by the International Classification of Goods and Services, including classes 21 (household goods), 30 (food and beverages), 35 (advertising and business services), and 43 (services for providing food and drink). Notably, the applications include well-known brands such as Starbucks, Starbucks Coffee, and Starbucks Frappuccino, as well as other product categories like instant coffee and service offerings related to food and beverage consumption on-site and loyalty programs.
The strategic filing may signal Starbucks’ intention to make a return to the Russian market “under familiar brands to consumers,” as suggested by Russian officials. This approach appears to be a preparatory step to preserve the potential for re-entering the market in the future, particularly as the company risks losing its existing trademarks in Russia by 2025 due to non-use.
Starbucks had previously announced its exit from the Russian market in March 2022, at which time it operated 130 stores in the country. Following its departure, the brand’s assets were acquired by rapper Timati (Timur Yunusov), restaurateur Anton Pinskiy, and the Sindika company, who subsequently rebranded the coffee shops as Stars Coffee in the summer of 2022.
As the situation evolves, the fate of Starbucks in Russia remains uncertain, but the recent trademark filings indicate a possible interest in reviving brand presence in the region.