Cardi B’s Whipshots brand has become the center of an international legal fight after a UK distributor sued its US owner over a failed overseas launch.
Cardi B did not sit on the sidelines after the launch. She promoted Whipshots on her Instagram feed and in public events tied directly to the brand. She celebrated retail debuts, highlighted drinking occasions and used her social reach to keep Whipshots trending long after its shelf releases.
Cardi B’s relentless hustle powered the brand to well over 5 million cans sold in the United States, as Whip Shots expanded into major retailers nationwide. Buoyed by that momentum, Starco pursued an international rollout.
In August 2024, Global Brands Ltd agreed to serve as the exclusive distributor for the United Kingdom and Ireland. The agreement included obligations for marketing support and coordination to leverage Cardi B’s star power abroad.
Trouble began when trademark issues emerged overseas. According to legal docs obtained by AllHipHop, Starco did not control the Whipshots trademark in the UK and Ireland.
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A third party claimed ownership of the rights and demanded all sales stop.
Global Brands says it was forced to immediately pull Whipshots from shops. The distributor claims that the action wiped out revenue and market momentum as holiday sales approached.
The complaint also says Starco failed to deliver on its marketing cooperation tied to Cardi B’s involvement, including promised efforts to make her available for launch events and promotional activities in the UK and Ireland.
Global Brands issued a formal breach notice in October 2025 and later terminated the agreement. The company now seeks at least hundreds-of-thousandst in damages related to lost revenue and unrecovered costs.
Despite her extensive promotional presence with the brand, Cardi B is not accused of any wrongdoing in the lawsuit. She is not named as a defendant and is not part of the legal action targeting Starco.
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