Two companies accused of trying to cash in on the popular Taiwanese Tao Ti brand by falsely selling a drink under its name are seeking compensation in a dispute over trademark rights.
The move follows a raid last month in which customs officers seized more than 93,000 bottles of what they said were fake Tao Ti drinks from five wholesale outlets.
But the makers of those drinks, Rosa Foods and Eiseki International, claim in a writ that they are the rightful manufacturers and distributors of Tao Ti drinks - and not their rivals, Tao-Ti International and Telford International.
At the time of the raids, customs officials named the trademark owner in Taiwan as Tao-Ti International.
Tao Ti green tea is a popular drink in Hong Kong and is endorsed by Canto-pop king Andy Lau Tak-wah.
It is promoted as a health drink and its ingredients include water, green tea, jasmine, sugar and honey.