'Mango Mazaa' producer barred from branding it after Maaza

An Indian soft drink producer has been restrained by the Delhi High Court from naming its product as 'Mango Mazaa', 'deceptively' similar to multinational Coca-Cola's mango flavoured drink 'Maaza.'

Justice Manmohan Singh stopped the Indian firm from branding its product as 'Mango Mazaa' on a plea by Coca Cola Limited and said a prima facie case is made out for an ex-parte interim injunction. The court fixed the next hearing of the case on December 5.

"Prima facie, it is clear that the defendants' act is not honest and it has been done by defendants to earn easy money," he said.

"Hence , till the next date of hearing, the defendants are restrained from manufacturing or marketing the impugned (challenged) trademark 'Mazaa' or any other mark which is deceptively similar to plaintiff's registered trademark and also from using the artistic label by the defendants in
respect of their products," he added.

Coca Cola had sought a permanent injunction on the local firm run by its authorised bottler from using its trademark 'Mazaa', saying the local soft drink producer was trying to mislead consumers and pass off their product as that of MNC which has earned a "unique goodwill and reputation".