UAE Food and Beverages Company Triumphs in Indian Trademark Infringement Case
Dubai, UAE – Al Buheira Lacnor Dairies Co. Limited, a prominent UAE-based food and beverages manufacturer operating under the brand name Lacnor, has successfully concluded a significant trademark dispute in India. A recent decision by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) in Chennai, India, ruled in favour of the UAE firm, ordering the removal of an identical trademark registration held by an Indian entity.
The dispute arose when Lacnor, which markets and exports a wide range of juices, nectars, milk, and dairy products to over 30 countries globally including India, sought to formally secure its trademark rights in the Indian market. During this process, the company discovered that an Indian firm had already obtained registration for a label mark that was identical in name and artistic features to Lacnor’s established brand.
The Indian firm contended before the IPAB that discussions regarding potential business opportunities and market entry into India had taken place between the two entities. According to the Indian firm’s submissions, they had registered the impugned trademark with the intention of facilitating the UAE company’s entry and business establishment in India following these discussions.
However, Al Buheira Lacnor Dairies Co. Limited countered this assertion, arguing that the Indian firm’s claims were an attempt to circumvent accusations of fraudulently obtaining the trademark registration.
The IPAB bench, after reviewing the arguments, found that the Indian firm failed to provide a justifiable explanation for adopting an identical mark. Crucially, the Indian firm could not demonstrate that it had obtained consent from the UAE company to register the trademark. The Board concluded that the trademark had been registered in bad faith, with the express intention of preventing the UAE firm from registering its own established brand, and that the Indian firm itself had no genuine intention to use the mark.
This ruling underscores the critical importance of intellectual property protection for GCC businesses expanding their global footprint and serves as a significant legal victory for Al Buheira Lacnor Dairies Co. Limited in safeguarding its brand identity internationally.