Mohan Rocky Springwater Breweries Pvt. Ltd., the manufacturer of Old Monk rum, has withdrawn its legal petition before the Bombay High Court challenging a distribution restriction imposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The company has agreed to revise the labels on the affected products and resubmit them to the regulator for approval.
The dispute concerns specific Old Monk variants manufactured at the company’s Khopoli facility in Maharashtra. FSSAI had raised objections to the product descriptions, directing the manufacturer to label and market beverages containing added flavourings as “rum-flavoured spirit” rather than standard “rum”.
The regulator also questioned certain age and blending claims printed on the bottles, including “7 Years Old Blended” and “Very Old Vatted”, citing potential violations of national alcoholic beverage standards under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations.
The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Maheshchandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. Following the manufacturer’s decision to withdraw its petition and submit corrected labels for regulatory approval, the court disposed of the case.
During the proceedings, the company had argued that the regulatory restrictions on sales had resulted in a financial loss exceeding Rs 350 crore in excise revenue for the Maharashtra state exchequer. However, after the High Court declined to grant interim relief or stay the regulatory order, the manufacturer chose not to pursue the legal challenge on its merits.
The decision shifts the company’s focus from contesting the restrictions in court to addressing the regulator’s objections through revised packaging. The manufacturer will now need to secure approval for the corrected labels before the affected products can move towards resuming distribution in compliance with FSSAI requirements.
The development highlights the regulatory importance of product descriptions and labelling in the alcoholic beverages category, where claims around composition, ageing and blending must align with prescribed standards. For established brands such as Old Monk, packaging compliance remains a key part of maintaining market access.
