Coca-Cola may have recently announced its intention to take Thums Up brand outside India, but when it comes to its other acquired mango drink of Maaza, it has to restrict its global ambitions.
Ramesh Chauhan, the erstwhile owner of brands such as Thums Up, Limca and Maaza, might have some objections, since the trademark for Maaza is already registered in certain overseas markets.
According to Chauhan, “Maaza cannot be used in markets where its trademark has been registered and that the brand cannot be launched in North America and Europe where the trademark rights have already been sold.’’
“Like Thums Up, Coca Cola is also trying to make Maaza a $1-billion brand. But unlike Thums Up which it can take to global markets, it may not be possible to do the same with Maaza since we have sold its licence in Europe, Middle East, North America and Canada.
“If at all, Maaza would have a limited market in countries that are on the east of India like Burma and Japan, where the brand is not registered,’’ says Ramesh Chauhan, Chairman, Bisleri International.
In legal battle
Bisleri International and Coca Cola have been fighting a legal battle for several years over the use of the Maaza trademark and it has already sold its rights in certain overseas markets.
“Maaza is not a registered brand in certain markets and anyone can take up the rights in those markets only at this point of time. Coca-Cola can only have a launch in such markets,’’ he adds.
In fact currently Maaza’s largest market outside India is in Western Europe in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Infra Foodbrands, a Netherlands company, has bought the rights of the Maaza brand in 2006 and has been resisting Coca-Cola from buying the rights from it in the European markets.
Bisleri had registered the Maaza brand in 12 overseas markets, including West Asia and Western Europe.
But unlike Thums Up, which is the leader in the carbonated cola category surpassing volumes of Coca-Cola, Maaza may not enjoy a similar position in the mango carbonated category. “Thums Up had a mystical quality about it and am not sure the same is true for Maaza. Coca-Cola may not be equally ambitious about taking it to the overseas markets immediately,’’ says Chauhan.
Bisleri claims that in 1993 the rights for Thums Up, Gold Spot, Limca and Rim-Zim were sold lock stock and barrel to Coca-Cola, except Maaza, whose international rights were withheld by Bisleri International.