NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Candace Nelson plays a judge on the Food
Network's reality television show "Cupcake Wars." But now her
cupcakes are at the center of a fight with a cupcake upstart.
Nelson's company, Sprinkles Cupcakes, is so frosted that it
filed a federal trademark-infringement lawsuit Friday in
Connecticut against a store named Pink Sprinkles. The lawsuit
claims the similarity in names is likely to cause confusion in the
marketplace.
The lawsuit says Sprinkles opened its first store in Beverly
Hills in 2005 and became a national phenomenon as the cupcakes were
featured on Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart and other shows. It is
opening stores around the country.
Pink Sprinkles opened in 2009 and calls itself "Fairfield's
first cupcake boutique."
Messages were left Monday for the owner of Pink Sprinkles.
