Food and beverage businesses often invest heavily in product development, packaging, marketing, distribution, and brand recognition. However, a successful product can also attract competitors who use similar names, logos, or branding.
Trademark registration helps business owners protect the identity that distinguishes their products in the market.
If your business sells coffee, tea, chocolate, rice, noodles, bakery products, confectionery, sauces, spices, or similar products, you may need to consider trademark registration in Class 30.
In Indonesia, trademark applications are administered by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property, commonly known as DJKI.
Before filing an application, a business should identify the correct trademark class and carefully select the goods that it wants to protect.
What Is Trademark Class 30?
Indonesia applies the international Nice Classification system to classify goods and services for trademark registration.
Under the 2026 edition of the Nice Classification, Class 30 covers a broad range of food products, including coffee, tea, cocoa, rice, pasta, noodles, flour, cereal preparations, bread, pastries, confectionery, chocolate, ice cream, sugar, honey, seasonings, spices, vinegar, sauces, and other condiments.
Class 30 mainly covers prepared or preserved foodstuffs of plant origin, except certain fruits and vegetables, together with products commonly used to improve the flavour of food.
For this reason, Class 30 is one of the most important trademark classes for businesses operating in the food industry.
What Products Are Included in Class 30?
Class 30 covers many different categories of food products.
Common examples include:
- coffee and coffee-based beverages;
- tea and tea-based beverages;
- cocoa and chocolate beverages;
- rice;
- pasta and noodles;
- tapioca and sago;
- flour;
- cereal preparations;
- bread;
- cakes and pastries;
- cookies and biscuits;
- confectionery and candy;
- chocolate;
- ice cream and sorbets;
- sugar;
- honey and treacle;
- yeast and baking powder;
- salt for food;
- seasonings;
- spices;
- preserved herbs;
- vinegar;
- sauces;
- condiments;
- cereal-based snacks;
- rice-based snacks;
- pizzas, pies, and sandwiches.
The Nice Classification also specifically recognises prepared cereals such as oat flakes, corn chips, bulgur, and muesli within Class 30.
However, applicants should not assume that every food product automatically belongs in Class 30.
Are All Food Products Registered in Class 30?
No. The classification depends on the nature, composition, preparation, and intended use of the product.
For example, certain meat, fish, dairy, fruit, and vegetable products generally fall within Class 29 rather than Class 30.
Medicinal teas, baby food, dietary supplements, and food specifically adapted for medical purposes generally fall within Class 5. Raw cereals and fresh herbs generally belong to Class 31.
WIPO also distinguishes milk beverages flavoured with coffee, cocoa, chocolate, or tea from coffee- or tea-based beverages. Milk-dominant beverages may fall within Class 29, while coffee-, cocoa-, chocolate-, or tea-based beverages can fall within Class 30.
Therefore, businesses should classify each product individually instead of selecting a class simply because they operate in the food sector.
Class 30 for Coffee and Tea Brands
Coffee and tea businesses frequently use Class 30.
A coffee company may need protection for products such as coffee, ground coffee, instant coffee, processed coffee beans, or coffee-based beverages.
Similarly, a tea company may register its trademark for tea and tea-based beverages under Class 30.
However, a coffee shop or café may also provide services that fall under another class.
For example, if a business operates a café while also selling packaged coffee under the same trademark, it may need to consider both Class 30 for the packaged goods and Class 43 for food and beverage services.
The same principle applies to tea shops, bakeries, restaurants, and other food businesses.
Class 30 for Bakery, Cakes, Cookies and Biscuits
Class 30 also plays an important role for bakery businesses.
Bread, pastries, cakes, cookies, biscuits, crackers, waffles, and many other bakery or flour-based products generally fall within Class 30.
A bakery that only sells packaged products under its trademark may focus primarily on Class 30.
However, a bakery that also operates a café, restaurant, or food-service establishment may need additional protection in Class 43.
Businesses should therefore distinguish between the product that carries the trademark and the service offered under the same brand.
Class 30 for Rice, Noodles, Pasta and Cereal Products
Businesses that manufacture or distribute rice, noodles, pasta, or prepared cereal products also commonly use Class 30.
The class expressly covers rice, pasta, noodles, flour, and preparations made from cereals.
Examples may include packaged rice, noodles, instant noodles, pasta, breakfast cereals, muesli, cereal-based snacks, and processed grain-based foods.
If one trademark appears on several products within Class 30, the applicant may list multiple relevant goods under that class.
A business does not necessarily need a separate trademark application for each individual Class 30 product. However, it should identify the relevant goods carefully when preparing the application.
Class 30 for Chocolate, Candy and Confectionery
Chocolate and confectionery businesses also frequently rely on Class 30.
The class includes chocolate, confectionery, sugar confectionery, various candies, and many related products.
A company that sells chocolate bars, pralines, candies, marshmallows, or other confectionery products may therefore consider filing its trademark in Class 30.
Applicants should still select descriptions that accurately reflect their commercial products.
Using an overly broad or inaccurate description can create unnecessary complications in the trademark registration process.
Class 30 for Sauces, Spices and Condiments
Class 30 also covers many products used to season or complement food.
These include seasonings, spices, preserved herbs, vinegar, sauces, and other condiments.
Businesses producing chilli sauce, food sauces, seasoning mixtures, spices, pepper, curry spices, and various condiments may therefore need Class 30 protection.
Again, classification should follow the actual nature of the product.
A business should not simply copy a competitor’s list of goods. It should identify the goods that it currently sells and those that form part of its genuine business plans.
Can One Trademark Cover Many Products in Class 30?
Yes. A single trademark can cover multiple goods within the same class.
For example, a company may use one brand for coffee, tea, biscuits, chocolate, sauces, and cereal-based snacks.
If all relevant products fall within Class 30, the applicant can identify several goods under that class in its trademark application.
This approach can make sense for businesses that operate several food product lines under one brand.
However, businesses should plan their list of goods carefully before filing.
The trademark protection ultimately relates to the goods or services covered by the registration.
Can One Trademark Be Registered in More Than One Class?
Yes. A business can seek protection in multiple classes when its commercial activities cover different types of goods or services.
For example, a coffee brand may use:
Class 30 for packaged coffee products; and
Class 43 for café or coffee shop services.
A food company might also sell products that fall within both Class 29 and Class 30.
The correct strategy depends on how the business actually uses the trademark.
Choosing the right classes from the beginning can help the business align its trademark portfolio with its commercial activities.
Conduct a Trademark Search Before Filing
Businesses should conduct a trademark search before submitting an application.
The search can help identify earlier registered trademarks or pending applications that may conflict with the proposed brand.
DJKI explains that an application may face refusal when a trademark has similarity in its essential elements or entirety with an earlier registered trademark for similar goods or services. DJKI also identifies other grounds for refusal involving well-known trademarks, geographical indications, famous persons, state symbols, and official signs.
A search cannot guarantee registration.
DJKI will still conduct its own examination after filing. Nevertheless, an early search can help a business identify obvious risks before investing further in registration, packaging, advertising, or product distribution.
Choose a Distinctive Trademark
A business should also choose a trademark with sufficient distinctiveness.
DJKI explains that marks may face problems when they merely describe the relevant goods or services, lack distinctive character, mislead consumers, or consist of generic names or public symbols.
For example, a coffee company should be careful about relying solely on words that merely describe coffee, taste, quality, origin, or other characteristics of the goods.
A distinctive brand usually gives consumers a clearer way to identify one business from another.
How to Register a Class 30 Trademark in Indonesia
DJKI currently provides an electronic trademark application system.
According to DJKI’s official procedure, applicants create an account, log into the trademark system, select an online application, enter applicant information, provide trademark details, select the relevant class and goods, upload the required documents, generate billing, pay the official fee, review the application, and submit it.
The application should accurately identify the trademark owner, the mark itself, the class, and the goods covered by the application.
The applicant should review all information carefully before submitting the application.
What Documents Are Required?
DJKI currently lists a trademark label and the applicant’s signature among the basic requirements for a new trademark application.
Micro and small enterprises that seek the applicable reduced government fee must also provide the required supporting documents for their status.
Different circumstances may require additional documents.
Applicants should therefore review their filing structure before submitting the application, particularly where the applicant is a company, claims priority, or involves other special circumstances.
What Happens After Filing?
Submitting an application does not mean that DJKI automatically registers the trademark.
DJKI processes the application through the applicable administrative and substantive examination stages.
During examination, DJKI may consider whether the mark satisfies registration requirements and whether earlier rights or other statutory grounds prevent registration.
For this reason, businesses should avoid assuming that payment of the government fee guarantees approval.
A properly prepared application can reduce avoidable issues, but DJKI retains authority to examine and decide the application.
How Long Does Trademark Protection Last?
A registered trademark in Indonesia receives protection for 10 years calculated from the filing date and may be renewed.
DJKI confirms that trademark owners can renew protection for additional 10-year periods.
Businesses should therefore monitor renewal dates and continue managing their trademark portfolio after registration.
Trademark protection forms part of a long-term brand strategy rather than a one-time administrative process.
What If DJKI Refuses the Trademark?
A refusal does not necessarily end every legal option.
The appropriate response depends on the reason and stage of refusal.
The applicant should first examine the legal grounds stated by DJKI and assess whether a response or further legal remedy remains available.
Trademark disputes can become more complex when they involve competing registrations, alleged similarity, well-known marks, bad faith, cancellation claims, or infringement.
Some disputes may ultimately proceed before the Commercial Court in Indonesia.
For that reason, businesses should preserve application documents, evidence of trademark use, marketing materials, invoices, contracts, product packaging, and other records that may become relevant in a future dispute.
Why Businesses Should Plan Class 30 Registration Early
Many businesses only consider trademark protection after their products become successful.
That approach can create unnecessary risk.
A business may spend considerable resources on packaging, social media, advertising, distribution, and customer acquisition before discovering that another party has already registered a similar trademark.
Early trademark planning allows the business to search existing marks, choose suitable goods and classes, evaluate potential conflicts, and build its brand around a stronger legal position.
For food businesses with several product lines, the company should also review whether Class 30 alone provides sufficient coverage or whether additional classes such as Class 29 or Class 43 are necessary.
Trademark Registration Assistance in Indonesia
ILS Law Firm provides legal consultation and trademark registration assistance for companies, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and business owners seeking to protect food and beverage brands in Indonesia.
Our assistance may include an initial trademark review, discussion of relevant classes and goods, preparation of registration requirements, and legal assistance throughout the trademark application process.
For Class 30 businesses, we can help clients assess whether the proposed registration should cover coffee, tea, rice, noodles, bakery products, chocolate, confectionery, sauces, spices, cereal products, or other relevant goods.
If a trademark application later faces legal issues or develops into a trademark dispute before the Commercial Court, ILS Law Firm can also provide legal representation and litigation assistance according to the circumstances of the case.
Clients may arrange online consultations through Zoom, Google Meet, or telephone calls. We also provide offline consultations through direct meetings with the ILS Law Firm team.
Telephone/WhatsApp: +62 813-9981-4209
Email: info@ilslawfirm.co.id
