Dunkin’ Donuts thwarts copycat maneuvering by long-time local partner

Dunkin’ Donuts has successfully blocked an attempt by its long-time local partner, Golden Donuts Inc., to trademark a new line of coffee-based beverages suspiciously similar to that owned by the multinational chain.

pon the opposition of Dunkin’ Donuts, the Intellectual Property Office last month rejected an application of Golden Donuts, controlled by the Prieto family, to trademark the “Duncoctions” line of coffee and other coffee-based drinks.

The S multinational said the plan of Golden Donuts to introduce “Duncoctions” using similar lettering and coloring as that of Dunkin’ Donuts “smacks of bad faith” as Golden Donuts had been its partner since 1985.

“The consumers would assume that any products or services available in the (local Dunkin’ Donuts) establishment originate or is connected with the (multinational coffee-and-doughnut chain),” the Intellectual Property Office said.

Golden Donuts did not even contest the complaint, apparently because it had been laying the basis to end its nearly three-decade-old franchise agreement with the Massachusettsbased coffee company and doughnut chain.

According to its 2012 annual report, Golden Donuts had already terminated the technical service and assistance agreement with another company, Antares Management Inc., that was helping the Prietos operate the doughnut outlets.

The agreement with Antares was supposed to last “as long as the company is operating outlets using the Dunkin’ Donuts System,” Golden Donuts said.

On the other hand, the exclusive franchise agreement with Dunkin’ Donuts is also supposed to last “in perpetuity,” so long as Golden Donuts transmits the annual franchise fee equivalent to one percent of the total net sales of Golden Donuts and its sub-licensees, aside from meeting other conditions.

Golden Donuts reported a P56.3 million profit in 2012 on the back of a P99.2 million loss in 2011.

In addition, the local franchisee is being dunned by the Bureau of Internal evenue for alleged unpaid taxes amounting to nearly P1.3 billion.

“The company is of the opinion that if the evidence is carefully considered by the BI , the tax assessments will eventually be withdrawn and cancelled,” Golden Donuts said.

The company’s latest general information sheet lists Walter Spakowski as chairman and president, Miguel Prieto as treasurer, Marixi Prieto as corporate secretary and Pedro Paraiso as chief finance officer.

If Marixi Prieto’s name rings a bell to some readers, it is because she is also the chairperson of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

(Disclosure: Victor C. Agustin is a minority shareholder of the privately-held Philippine Daily Inquirer.)

Ignored SEC sounds another warning

The Securities and xchange Commission this week uploaded another installment of its long-running battle with a Cebu developer, warning about the illegality of its Boracay Multiple Properties Developers flogging investment contracts and preferred shares to the public.

A subsidiary of J. King and Sons Co. Inc., Boracay Multiple Properties is developing another Crown egency hotel in the island paradise, apparently undaunted by its legal problems with the SC and the fact that the developer lost the case all the way to the Supreme Court in 2013.

A Google check of Boracay Multiple Properties Developers will actually lead one into the Crown egency Boracay website and Facebook accounts, which as of this writing were still pitching the “unique investment proposal,” with a promised return of investment in four to five years.

Tambunting’s New York discount

Pawnshop patriarch Joseling Tambunting has been forced to knock off more than a couple of grand from the rental price of the family’s New ork condo, apparently due to the unresolved inheritance case involving the estimated $6.3-million property.

From $19,500 a month, the asking price for the 3,000-squarefoot (278-square-meter) spread with another 3,000 sq ft of terrace has been reduced to $16,850, the same rate that it was leasing four years ago.

Despite the discount, the 7.5 rooms, 4 beds, 4.5 baths pper ast Side-unit has failed to rent out after more than three months on the market now.

Incidentally, two top Filipino-American agents, duardo Lacson and Jeannie Abaya, handle the listing for Fenwick Keats eal state.

Jeannie Abaya happens to be the same person as onta Club’s osario Carlos Abaya, who can empathi e with the Tambuntings, what with her own Carlos siblings squabbling over their late father’s and now their bedridden mother’s considerable fortune.

Heard through the grapevine

Graduating Albay Governor Joey Salceda told a group of Tuesday Club “kumain-tators” (Salceda’s words) that he was raring to return to his old congressional seat come 2016, discarding whatever plans he had been entertaining about going to arvard for higher studies. E-mail: cocktales_tv5@yahoo. com