Skip to main content

Dr Pepper Sues Dr Pepper Over License Agreement

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on July 25, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Made with pure Imperial cane sugar since 1891, Dublin Dr Pepper is more than a Texas institution; it's a nationwide sensation.

But in a bid to reign in this popularity (and protect its other bottlers), Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) has filed suit against its Dublin, Texas bottler, demanding that the company ditch its personalized logo and stop distributing the sugary soft drink outside the region.

Or else.

In recent years, Dublin Dr Pepper has been popping up along the coasts, despite the bottler being party to a contract that limits its distribution area to the Dallas-Fort Worth region, reports the Houston Press.

And while at one point it was allowed to brand bottles with a custom logo, that, too, was changed when the Dr Peppers signed a new contract in 2009.

To some it may seem silly to sue what appears to be one's own company, but as you likely know, one rotten licensee can spoil a whole batch.

When asked about why it was suing, the Press reports that DPS explained that it has to protect its other bottlers, who were seeing their territories diminished.

Not doing so could also potentially encourage other bottlers to breach their agreements, uprooting the company's carefully planned licensing and bottling operation.

But while there's likely no excuse for Dublin's continued use of its special logo, it's unclear what DPS wants the bottler to do about distribution.

As the Press details, people come from all over the state and country to purchase Dublin Dr Pepper, with the bottler having no say in where it goes afterward.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard