Beyond Registration: What the Latest Accepted Marks Tell Us About Modern Brand Strategy
Source: Malaysia Trademark Gazette Batch 21/2026
Key Insights at a Glance
Malaysia continues to attract internationally recognised brands, with notable acceptances including ANTLER, NEW ERA (19TWENTY), FABBRI 1905, MAISEN, and SHAW CONTRACT, signalling strong confidence in the Malaysian market.
Brand owners are increasingly protecting entire business ecosystems, filing trademarks across both product and service classes to support retail, e-commerce, franchising, and customer engagement activities.
Gaming, toys and digital entertainment remain fast-growing sectors, demonstrated by filings such as MOBAPAD, IMAGINARY FAM, and STARBOX, reflecting increasing investment in gaming hardware, collectibles, and interactive consumer brands.
Plant-based, health-conscious and alternative food products continue to gain momentum, with brands such as SOYFLEX and Veggilicious highlighting growing consumer demand for healthier and sustainable food choices.
Certification and quality marks are gaining importance, evidenced by the acceptance of the GRANA PADANO Certification Trademark, which protects product authenticity and geographic reputation.
Trademark coexistence remains a practical legal strategy, as shown by SORELLA's acceptance through consent from an earlier trademark proprietor, demonstrating how businesses can resolve potential conflicts commercially.
Foreign applicants continue to view Malaysia as a strategic ASEAN market, particularly in the consumer goods, food and beverage, lifestyle, fashion, gaming, and home products sectors.
Successful businesses are moving beyond basic brand protection, using trademarks as strategic assets to support expansion, licensing, franchising, international growth, and long-term brand value creation.
Notable Accepted Trademark Applications
ANTLER – Expansion of a Famous Luggage Brand
Applicant: ATR Brands Limited (United Kingdom)
Class: 18 (Luggage, suitcases, travel bags, wallets, backpacks)
Why it is interesting:
ANTLER is a renowned global luggage brand.
Its recognition signifies ongoing brand growth and consolidation in Malaysia.
It is pertinent to the expanding travel and lifestyle industry.
SORELLA
Applicant: Sing Chye Heng Investment Holdings Pte Ltd (Singapore)
Classes: 25 & 35
Why it is interesting:
Sorella is an established lingerie brand in Southeast Asia.
The brand encompasses both products (lingerie and apparel) and retail services.
It has been accepted with the consent of a previously registered owner, suggesting a potentially intricate coexistence strategy.
NEW ERA – "19TWENTY"
Applicant: New Era Cap, LLC (USA)
Class: 25
Why it is interesting:
NEW ERA is a globally recognized leader in headwear branding.
"19TWENTY" represents a product line dedicated to vintage-style cap collections.
Showcases brand protection extending beyond the primary trademark.
MOBAPAD
Applicant: Shenzhen Xinxiang Culture Technology Co., Ltd.
Class: 28 (Gaming controllers and game consoles)
Why it is interesting:
Reflects a rise in filings from the gaming peripherals industry.
Covers controllers, gaming joysticks, and handheld consoles.
Highlights the growing importance of intellectual property in the gaming ecosystem.
STARBOX
Applicant: ZURU IP Limited
Classes: 28 & 35
Why it is interesting:
Submitted by ZURU, a leading international toy corporation.
Encompasses toys and online retail services.
Indicates potential growth of ZURU's toy and collectible ecosystem in Malaysia.
FABBRI 1905
Applicant: Fabbri 1905 S.p.A. (Italy)
Classes: 29, 30 & 33
Why it is interesting:
Founded in 1905, this historic Italian food brand has a rich legacy.
Its product range includes fruit preserves, syrups, ice cream products, and confectionery.
The brand exemplifies the ongoing expansion of premium imported food brands in Malaysia.
MAISEN (邁泉)
Applicant: Izutsu Maisen Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Classes: 29, 30 & 43
Why it is interesting:
Renowned Japanese tonkatsu restaurant chain.
Encompasses food products, seasonings, and restaurant services.
Indicates potential for future franchise or restaurant expansion into Malaysia.
GRANA PADANO
Applicant: Consorzio Per La Tutela Del Formaggio Grana Padano
Class: 29 (Cheese)
Accepted as a certification trademark.
Why it is interesting:
This represents one of the most notable applications within the journal.
Certification marks are less common than standard trademarks.
It safeguards the geographical and quality reputation of Grana Padano cheese, akin to the EU-style geographical indication protection mechanisms.
IMAGINARY FAM
Applicant: Imaginary Friends Perfumery Sdn Bhd
Class: 28
Why it is interesting:
A comprehensive specification related to toys.
Encompasses a wide range of toy categories, including collectibles, action figures, drones, smart toys, and electronic toys.
Suggests a potentially ambitious future for a toy and entertainment brand.
SHAW CONTRACT
Applicant: Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (USA)
Class: 19
Why it is interesting:
Renowned international flooring manufacturer.
Comprehensive protection for commercial flooring systems.
Demonstrates ongoing investment in Malaysia's commercial construction industry.
Interesting Malaysian SME Applications
SOYFLEX
Plant-based foods, soy milk, probiotic products, and milk alternatives highlight the increasing trend towards plant-based diets.
1001 FOOD VARIETIES
A comprehensive food trademark encompassing meat, dairy, oils, and preserved foods indicates a significant expansion in the FMCG branding portfolio.
Plant-based meals and meat substitutes underscore the growing vegetarian and vegan food industry in Malaysia.
Submitted by Oriental Coffee International, the filing pertains to coffee products and café services. This indicates ongoing brand expansion among Malaysian kopi chains.
The accepted trademark applications published in MyIPO Trademark Journal Batch 21/2026 demonstrate a more sophisticated approach to brand protection. Businesses are securing rights not only for products but also for retail, digital, and service-related activities. This publication highlights the importance of intellectual property as a strategic business asset, with both globally recognized brands expanding into Malaysia and emerging local businesses investing in trademark portfolios. Noteworthy developments, such as certification trademarks, coexistence-based acceptances, and filings in rapidly growing sectors like gaming, lifestyle, and plant-based foods, illustrate the evolving nature of brand protection in today’s marketplace. For businesses aiming to enhance their competitive position, these insights emphasize the importance of proactive trademark registration, continuous portfolio management, and regular monitoring of trademark publications to stay ahead of market trends and opportunities.
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