The Tiger Bomb: A Viral Coffee Sensation Sparks Legal and Ethical Questions

A signature coffee drink from a Melbourne café has taken social media by storm—and is now sparking debates about intellectual property, imitation, and respect in the global coffee scene.

The Origin of the Tiger Bomb

Caleb "Tiger" Cha, owner of Tone Coffee in Melbourne, created the Tiger Bomb in 2023. The drink combines espresso, milk, cream, and orange zest.

Cha said the name originated in 2016, noting that the Korean word for tiger sounds similar to "bomb."

The beverage went viral after a customer posted it on the Chinese social media platform Little Red Book. Since then, the Tiger Bomb has gained widespread popularity—and imitators—particularly in Indonesia.

Perfecting the Recipe

It took him 100 days to perfect the recipe during the pandemic.

Cha has expressed concern that poor-quality imitations could damage his reputation. To protect his creation, he has consulted a lawyer about safeguarding the beverage as intellectual property.

Legal Hurdles: What Can—and Can't—Be Protected

Sarah Hook, intellectual property law expert at UTS, explained the legal landscape:

• Recipes generally cannot be patented unless they are “inventive.”
• Product names can be trademarked, but this only prevents others from advertising under that name—not from recreating the drink itself.
• Trademark applications in Australia take at least seven months and only provide protection within the jurisdiction.

Industry Perspectives: Respect vs. Restriction

Ben Bicknell, coffee podcast co-host, noted that signature beverages like Tiger Bomb and Mont Blanc are trending, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Ridwan Heisel, owner of a Melbourne-inspired cafe in Jakarta, renamed his version “Tiger Coffee” out of respect for Cha. He argued that trademarking would “isolate” the product and stifle the collaborative spirit of coffee culture.

Farchan Noor Rachman of Wombats Coffee in Yogyakarta took a different approach: after obtaining Cha’s permission, he named his version “Melbourne Finest.”

A Contrasting Approach: Mont Blanc

Brandon Jo, co-founder of Good Measure in Melbourne, created the Mont Blanc coffee, which also went viral. In a notable departure from Cha's approach, Jo said the business decided not to trademark the name, as they do not want to be “possessive” about the drink and instead encourage others to add their own twist.

The Tiger Bomb story highlights a growing tension in the specialty coffee world: how to protect a creative, profitable idea without alienating the community that helped make it famous.