Imitation is the highest form of flattery, but not with the Kamat family. The owners of the South Indian vegetarian restaurant food brand ‘Kamats’, have been fighting off other players who have been exploiting the brand’s goodwill and reputation by copying the name.
Kamats has a network of 130 eateries, mostly on highways in Maharashtra and Gujarat, but many fraudulent Kamats have appeared on these roads.
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Hotelier Vikram Vithal Kamat, founder and chairman of the VITS Kamats Group, says it is unethical to use the Kamats name, their registered trademark, as customers get confused as which the impersonating brands cannot offer the clean, tasty food they
offer, causing damage to the original brand.
Kamat says the brand’s reputation in hospitality has been built over 80 years with a focus on providing hygienic food, a good ambience and clean washrooms to their customers.
He is looking at expanding the brands by introducing the franchise model for hotels, resorts, skill academies and retail snack businesses. Kamats have launched the premium dining segment with the brand, Kamats Legacy, and want to protect the brand’s reputation and goodwill. The restaurant’s annual business is in the Rs 100-150 crore.
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Kamats have taken the legal route to deal with fake namesake restaurants. They have so far won 20 such cases in different courts. The Kamats restaurant has just won a lawsuit against unethical use of
their brand against Alok Chandwar, who was barred from using the name.