United States coffee giant Starbucks Corp is suing a Shanghai-based cafe for trademark infringement, alleging that its logo and brand name have been copied. The case is expected to be heard in the Second Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai in April, according to Starbucks' Hong Kong-based law firm Baker & McKenzie. Baker & McKenzie partner Tan Loke Khoon said the law firm first warned Shanghai Xingbake Cafe four years ago to remove all logos and names similar to its client's. Starbucks claims that Shanghai Xingbake is using a Chinese logo similar to its trademark, along with the English moniker Starbuck. Both companies registered the name Xingbake in March 2000. 'Big brand owners like Starbucks have invested heavily into building their brands. In this case, the integrity of the brand is at stake,' Mr Tan said. A manager at Shanghai Xingbake yesterday denied allegations of trademark infringement, saying the two companies' logos and names were different. Mr Tan said Shanghai Xingbake refused to change its name and logo, arguing that Starbuck was different from Starbucks. In September 2000, the Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce ordered the cafe to remove all signs, logos and names similar to Starbucks. But in July last year, Shanghai Xingbake opened another outlet on the city's fashionable Nanjing road. 'Subsequently, Baker & McKenzie's legal team in China collected evidence and prepared the necessary documents, which they filed for the court case,' Mr Tan said. Mr Tan said the Second Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai had frozen the defendant's bank account and seized items related to the case, such as name cards and menus. Starbucks has 83 outlets on the mainland.