'Cupcake Wars' Lawsuit Ends With Settlement

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- A judge on the Food Network reality television show "Cupcake Wars" has resolved her lawsuit with a Connecticut cupcake store over its name.

Candace Nelson's company, Sprinkles Cupcakes, settled its federal trademark infringement lawsuit against a store named Pink Sprinkles last week. The lawsuit claimed the similarity in names was likely to cause confusion in the marketplace.

An attorney and a spokesman for Pink Sprinkles say the store in Fairfield will now be called Pink Cupcake Shack.

The lawsuit said Sprinkles Cupcakes opened its first store in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2005 and became a national phenomenon as the cupcakes were featured on shows hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart. Pink Sprinkles opened in 2009.

An attorney for Sprinkles Cupcakes hasn't returned a message left Tuesday seeking comment.

Comments

[Leah Kaliszewski]

10:17 PM on 02/11/2012

Does she really think that one cupcake shop in Conneticuit that has a similar name is going to take business away from Sprinkles?! There are Sprinkles locations all over the country, like in Bevery Hills and New York, for example. She should have just left them alone. Most people aren't dumb enough to get those two names confused anyway. I guess being on TV and owning one of the biggest cupcake chains in the country is not enough for her.

[mary1952]

02:55 PM on 02/25/2012

you know what most people can also tell one cupcake from another by taste with their eyes closed. So as you say most people are not dumb and confused as to get them mixed up. Agreed.

[RCDawg85]

08:52 PM on 02/08/2012

There's a similarity in names between "Sprinkles Cupcakes" and "Pink Sprinkles" to the point where people can't tell them apart? The only similarity I see is that they both have the word "Sprinkles" in it, so essentially Candace is trying to put a trademark on the word "Sprinkles".

[Tess DUrberville]

08:07 PM on 02/08/2012

Apparently, business must not be that good if you have to sue someone over something so trivial.
I doubt that the sam e people who buy cupcakes in Beverly Hills are also purchasing them in Fairfield. They aren't even in the same state so how are they "competing". What's next ? A lawsuit overthe word BAKERY ? So silly and petty.

[HannahaS]

12:50 PM on 02/08/2012

rofl,

[CertifiedApproved]

11:59 AM on 02/08/2012

Gosh I hate to admit this but I really do watch this show! I love hearing the contestants complain about how this is, "the hardest thing" they have ever done! I'm like, "Really? The hardest thing you have EVER done is be in a cupcake war?" It's hilarious! LOL!

www.cafepress.com/foodiethreads

[useraccess]

11:53 AM on 02/08/2012

WTF...who cares! It's cupcakes. Taking the business a little too seriously.

[FTAC 2001]

10:34 AM on 02/08/2012

Here's a little tip....Sprinkles Cupcakes aren't that good.

[jdmccallum]

02:23 PM on 02/09/2012

Here is another,most mass produced cakes are disgusting.Make them yourself it is not difficult.

[dutchgirl55]

01:12 AM on 02/12/2012

And don't use sprinkles.