The USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) has issued a decision sustaining an opposition (Docket No. TTAB91302973) against the trademark application for "MANUKA CHEF." The opposition was brought by the Manuka Charitable Trust against defendants Doug Kaplan, Peter Barakett, and Thomas O'Brien. The filing date for the opposition was November 7, 2025, and the decision was rendered on March 18, 2026.

This ruling means the trademark "MANUKA CHEF" will not be registered as applied for by the defendants. Companies involved in trademark disputes or considering opposition proceedings should review the TTAB's reasoning in this case to understand the grounds for sustaining the opposition. No specific compliance actions are required for entities not directly involved in this proceeding, but it serves as a precedent for future trademark oppositions.