Brooklyn coffee shop suing Starbucks over Unicorn Frappucino

May 5 (UPI) -- A coffee shop in Brooklyn is suing Starbucks, alleging the coffee giant stole its idea for a Unicorn Frappucino.

The End, a cafe in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, said it invented a drink with the same distinctive pink and blue look, dubbing it the "unicorn latte." The suit states the owners of the cafe applied for a trademark for the name after the drink became a local social media sensation. The application is still pending in the U.S. Patent Office, but it was filed in January, four months before Starbucks introduced its beverage.

The suit seeks $10 million in damages for trademark infringement.

The Starbucks version of the drink also became a frequent social media topic after the coffee chain released it for a limited time in April.

"Starbucks' products began appearing on social media labeled with the hashtag #unicornlatte, online publications began referring to Starbucks' products as Unicorn Lattes, and [The End's] Unicorn Latte -- while still occasionally mentioned -- was reduced to an 'also ran' anecdote to Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino," the suit says.

A Starbucks spokesman said the company is aware of the lawsuit, but believes it is "without merit."