Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers, has a rich history dating back to 1864 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken purchased the Haystack brewery in Amsterdam. The company officially became known as Heineken in 1873. Heineken has a robust trademark portfolio that includes its iconic green label, red star, and the distinctive Heineken name. These trademarks, particularly the red star, have become synonymous with the brand's premium quality beer.
Given its stature in the brewing industry, Heineken actively monitors its trademarks to prevent unauthorized use and protect against potential infringement. In 2017, the Arbitration Court confirmed trademark infringement by Private Brewery Afanasiy LLC on the United Heineken Brewery's mark "Okhota" ("hunting"). Despite Afanasiy's attempts to modify the label while retaining the contentious name, the court ruled in Heineken's favor, banning further production of alcoholic beverages under the brand "Okhota nashego." The court also ordered compensation, satisfying Heineken's requirements for trademark protection. In another case in 2023, Heineken Brouwerijen B.V. successfully resolved a trademark dispute in China concerning the Chinese characters "He Ni Ken." The Beijing Intellectual Property Court overturned a decision by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), stating that "He Ni Ken" phonetically translates to "Heineken." Given Heineken's prior fame in the beer industry and potential for confusion, both marks were deemed identical, leading to the invalidation of the "He Ni Ken" registration.
