The Bombay High Court has declined to grant interim relief to Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries, the manufacturer behind the iconic Old Monk rum. This decision means the sales ban on Old Monk in Maharashtra, imposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), will continue while the company's revised bottle labels are under review.
Court Awaits Regulatory Input on New Labels
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad stated that granting an immediate stay on the FSSAI order would prematurely decide the case's merits. The court will await input from both the FSSAI and state authorities regarding the newly submitted packaging before making a final decision on the sales prohibition.
Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries, represented by Senior Advocate Navroz Seervai, had sought permission to continue selling its existing stock while its challenge against the FSSAI order was pending. However, the court maintained that the ban must remain in effect until the labeling and regulatory concerns are fully resolved.
Core of the Labeling Controversy
At the heart of the dispute is whether Old Monk can be marketed simply as “rum.” The FSSAI contends that the product is made from neutral spirits with added rum flavoring, and therefore should be classified and labeled as a “rum-flavoured spirit” or “flavoured rum,” rather than just “rum.”
Furthermore, the regulator raised objections to the “7 years old blended” claim on the original labels, along with the extremely small, hard-to-read fine print that disclosed added flavors. FSSAI argued these elements could potentially mislead consumers about the product's true nature and aging process.
Company Submits Revised Packaging for Review
In response to the FSSAI's concerns, Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries has agreed to remove the “7 years old blended” claim from its labels. The company also committed to prominently displaying disclosures such as “added flavour” or “flavoured rum” on the packaging to ensure clearer consumer information.
On Thursday, the manufacturer presented a fresh, digitally printed draft of these revised labels to the High Court. The FSSAI has requested additional time to evaluate whether the new packaging fully complies with its stringent labeling norms and consumer-disclosure requirements. The court has also directed the state excise department to review the modified label and expedite its approval process.
Next Hearing Scheduled for September 11
The matter has been adjourned to September 11. At the next hearing, the bench is expected to consider FSSAI’s assessment of the revised labels and determine whether to grant any further relief to the company. Until then, the prohibition on Old Monk’s sale across Maharashtra remains in force, impacting one of India's most popular liquor brands.