Chai Sutta Bar Withdraws Plea In Supreme Court Against Injunction Over 'MAATEA' Mark In Dispute With Macha

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Chai Sutta Bar Trading Pvt Ltd to withdraw its special leave petition challenging the Delhi High Court order concerning the injunction restraining it from using the 'MAATEA' mark for tea products.

On July 7, 2026, the High Court disposed of Chai Sutta Bar's appeal against the District Court order which held that MAATEA prima facie mimicked the sound and structure of MACHA held by Macha Consumer Products and conveyed the same commercial impression

The High Court granted Chai Sutta Bar liberty to file an application under Section 124 of the Trade Marks Act concerning invalidity of Macha's trademark, directing that it be decided independently of the District Judge's observations on that issue.

A Division Bench of Justices K. Viswanathan and Arun Palli permitted Chai Sutta Bar to withdraw the plea with liberty to pursue a challenge concerning the validity of Macha's trademark. The Court made it clear that the withdrawal would not preclude the petitioner from pursuing the available remedy against the relevant orders.

During the hearing, counsel for Chai Sutta Bar argued that “matcha tea is something that has existed for more than 1,000 years” and submitted that this was not something that could simply be monopolised through a trademark.

“Matcha tea is something that has existed for more than 1,000 years. This is not something that you can never trademark on, let alone, stop somebody else from doing.”

The dispute arose between Macha Consumer Products Pvt Ltd and Chai Sutta Bar Trading Pvt Ltd over the use of the marks “MACHA” and “MAATEA” for tea products. Macha alleged that MAATEA was deceptively similar and amounted to trademark infringement and passing off.

On January 17, 2026, the Delhi District Court held that MAATEA prima facie mimicked the sound and structure of MACHA and conveyed the same commercial impression. It found a prima facie case in Macha's favour, with balance of convenience and irreparable injury also favouring it.

The District Court therefore allowed Macha's application under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 CPC, confirmed the July 2, 2024 interim injunction restraining Chai Sutta Bar from using MAATEA for tea, and dismissed the defendant's application under Order XXXIX Rule 4.

On July 7, 2026, the Delhi High Court disposed of Chai Sutta Bar's appeal against the District Court order, while granting Chai Sutta Bar liberty to file an application under Section 124 of the Trade Marks Act concerning invalidity of Macha's trademark, directing that it be decided independently of the District Judge's observations on that issue.

Click Here To Read/Download Delhi High Court Order

Click Here To Read/Download District Court Order