The Hindu Business Line : Bangalore firm restrained from using Ajinomoto trademark

A BANGALORE-BASED company has become the fifth to be restrained by the Delhi High Court in a trademark infringement case launched by Japanese food products major, Ajinomoto Co Inc.

Lawyers for Ajinomoto said in a release that the Bangalore-based company, Best Products Co, was selling food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) under its trademark Aji-No-Moto, in Japanese characters, and the trademark bowl symbol, without authorisation.

The Japanese company has begun its trademark protection action ever since its Indian subsidiary began operations in Chennai in December 2003.

Ajinomoto India imports bulk MSG from a Thai affiliate plant and repackages it at the Chennai plant for sales to restaurants and retail users.

"Aji-No-Moto is a trademark and is not synonymous with the generic name monosodium glutamate or umami seasoning. Therefore, (this) trademark should not be used while describing or referring to MSG," the release from legal counsel Anand & Anand said.

It also said that the case against the Bangalore-based company was launched in May this year and another hearing was posted for September 29.

A local commissioner appointed by the court visited the unit in Bangalore and seized nearly 1,100 packets of MSG bearing the unauthorised trademark.

Earlier this year, the company won the case against four Hyderabad entities that were selling MSG under the name.

The law firm said that the Japanese company has owned the trademark since 1909 and had registered it in India in 1961.

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