Monster Beverage Corp has requested that a Californian federal court enforce the US$175m awarded to it and fellow-energy drinks manufacturer Orange Bang as part of a trademark encroachment by Bang Energy brand owner Vital Pharmaceuticals (VPX). The claim relates to a 2010 settlement that allowed VPX to continue selling drinks using the 'Bang' brand name in certain, limited markets and locations. Last week, an arbitrator ruled that VPX broke the settlement by using the name outside of the scope of the ruling when it launched Bang Energy RTD in 2015. As a result, VPX has been ordered to pay $175m to the two energy drinks rivals as well as a 5% royalty on sales of Bang-branded products in the future unless it limits US sales to gyms and grocery store vitamin aisles, and stops using the Bang name in 12 states, including California, New York and Texas. The attorney also awarded Monster and Orange Bang around $9m in attorneys' fees and costs. Orange Bang, which along with Monster is one of the biggest energy drinks companies in the US, originally sued VPX in 2009, with the pair eventually settling out of court the following year. However, when VPX launched Bang Energy in 2015, Orange Bang teamed up with Monster - which still has pending false advertising claims against VPX - to accuse VPX of breaking the 2010 settlement and infringing on Orange Bang’s trademarks. VPX launched a counter lawsuit in 2020, alleging Monster had “weaponised” the settlement and requested a ruling it had not infringed upon Orange Bang’s trademarks. The case was sent to arbitration and the arbitrator ruled in the two energy drinks companies’ favour. Last month, a jury awarded Stone Brewing US$56m in damages, after Molson Coors Beverage Co’s US unit was found to have infringed on the San Diego craft brewers’ trademark when advertising its rebranded Keystone Light beer in 2017. Constellation Brands spends on buybacks rather than Monster Beverage Corp – Click here for a Just Drinks analysis