Small, Local Coffee Brand Battles Global Giant Over Right to Use Its Name 

SEATTLE (June 25, 2025) – Today, Seattle Strong Coffee Co. announced the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help fund its legal battle against Nestlé, which is seeking to cancel the company’s trademark for Seattle Strong. In a modern-day David vs. Goliath battle brewing in the heart of the coffee capital, Seattle Strong Coffee Co., a startup born from a college project at the University of Washington in 2017, is taking on multinational corporation Nestlé to protect the name that defines its brand, city and story. 

Nestlé, which acquired Seattle’s Best Coffee in 2022, recently filed a legal petition to cancel Seattle Strong’s trademark, claiming the company’s name infringes on its rights for Seattle’s Best. But for Seattle Strong’s founders, the name represents more than just a brand, as it’s their origin, their identity and their connection to the city that shaped them. 

“We didn’t set out to take on a global corporation, we set out to make great coffee that represents our home,” said founder Evan Oeflein. “But when a monolithic corporation like Nestlé tries to take away our right to call ourselves ‘Seattle Strong,’ we have no choice but to stand up. The only overlap between Seattle’s Best and Seattle Strong is the word Seattle. We built this company from the ground up in the city we love, and we won’t back down.” 

What was initially intended to be a class project out of the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business in the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship’s Create a Company program has evolved into a full-fledged company. After the team graduated in June 2018, the company became a full-time business. Seattle Strong offers ready-to-drink cold brew coffee made in Seattle and available at local Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, Safeway, QFC, Town & Country, Rosauers, Haggen, and other locations – including Central Market (HEB) in Texas and Lassens in Southern California. 

“This fight isn’t just ours, it’s for every small business that’s ever been told to get out of the way. It’s about who gets to claim ownership of the name of our city,” Oeflein added. “We don’t believe any company, especially one based over 5,000 miles away in Switzerland, should be able to tell Seattleites they can’t use the name ‘Seattle.’ We may be small, but we’re backed by a community that believes in standing strong.” 

With Nestlé reporting more than $13 billion in profits last year alone, Seattle Strong is relying on the support of its customers and supporters of small businesses to stand up against the corporate titan. People can help by sharing the story on social media, donating to the GoFundMe campaign and purchasing Seattle Strong cold brew at local retailers.