Bulldog Amsterdam boss demands €49 million from Red Bull

In 2003, Henk de Vries, creator and Bulldog owner for 40 years, launched his own energy drink simply titled The Bulldog. The world-famous logo of his snarling dog was already on t-shirts, hats, and iced tea. So why not?

But because the word "Bull" was included in the name of his drink, Red Bull saw red. The Austro-Thai collective threatened De Vries to very quickly withdraw his energy drinks from the market, with Bulldog unfairly benefiting from Red Bull's global fame.

300 million dollars in damages to the Bulldog?

In 2017, the European Court nevertheless ruled that The Bulldog had not infringed on Red Bull's trademark. The Dutch company is now demanding 49 million euros to Red Bull and has had the company and its bank accounts seized, according to documents in the magazine's possession Quote.

According to the Bulldog's lawyer, several attempts were made to enter into negotiations with Red Bull, without success. The trial will therefore begin next November. Red Bull Netherlands has informed Quote that he was awaiting this trial.

Based on an in-depth market study, Amsterdam-based Sman Business has calculated a possible loss of over 300 million euros for Bulldog.

Over the past two decades, the global energy drink market has taken off. Austria's Dietrich Mateschitz became a multi-billionaire with Red Bull. His business partner, the late Chaleo Yoovidhya, also did. He was the third wealthiest man in Thailand. In South Africa, Rodney Sacks is juggling several billion, partly thanks to avid Monster drinkers.

And that's not even counting the THC beverage boom in the United States, a market that the Bulldog could definitely nibble at.