The maker of Surfside canned cocktails has sued brewing giant Anheuser-Busch over the design of its new hard lemonade and iced tea drinks, according to reports.
The Philadelphia Business Journal reported that Stateside Vodka’s lawsuit accused the Budweiser brewer of copying the design, look and feel of its Surfside products for Skimmers, which debuted earlier this year.
The filing reportedly highlighted three “strikingly similar" features in the packaging of both products: a sun design on a white background, a colored band at the top of the can, and a similarly colored gradient graphic toward the bottom.
Attorneys wrote that Anheuser-Busch was “freeriding” on Stateside’s marketing of Surfside, which has grown rapidly since its 2022 debut. The lawsuit reportedly seeks an injunction on the packaging and the transfer of those materials, as well as all Skimmers-related profits and damages that would be determined by the federal court.
An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told the Journal in an emailed statement that the lawsuit was “without merit” and that the company would “vigorously defend against it."
Skimmers Vodka Iced Tea and Lemonade via 7G Distributing/Facebook on the left and Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka/Lemonade via Stateside Brands/PR Newswire on the right.
