Kent RO vs Urban Company: Delhi High Court Battle Over India’s RO Market

In the fast-changing world of India’s consumer tech and appliance market, a silent corporate war is brewing — and it’s one that could reshape how millions of Indian households buy and maintain their water purifiers.

At the center of it are two powerful names: Kent RO, India’s legacy water purification giant, and Urban Company (UC), the tech-driven services marketplace that dared to challenge Kent’s decades-old business model.

This battle isn’t just about filters and patents — it’s about control of a ₹10,000 crore market and the future of India’s home appliance economy.

The Razor-and-Blade Business Model

To understand the fight, you need to know how the water purifier industry works. It follows what’s called the “razor-and-blade” model: companies sell the main purifier unit at a reasonable price, but make massive profits later through mandatory annual maintenance contracts (AMC), replacement filters, and services.

This model has served giants like Kent RO, Aquaguard, and Livpure for years. Once a purifier enters a home, customers are locked into years of recurring service costs — the real “blades” in the model.

Urban Company’s Disruption: Native RO

Then came the Urban Company revolution.
In 2023, UC launched “Native,” its own RO water purifier brand with a bold promise — “No service needed for two years.”

It was a direct attack on the AMC-driven model.
UC’s pitch to Indian consumers was clear: modern technology can eliminate unnecessary service costs, and customers deserve transparency.

The move resonated.

In its first full financial year (FY25), Native achieved ₹116 crore in revenue and, as of 2025, has already reached a ₹300 crore revenue run rate, growing an impressive 55% in Q2 FY26 alone.

If this growth continues, Urban Company could become the biggest threat the legacy purifier market has ever faced.

Kent Strikes Back: The Delhi High Court Case

Kent wasn’t going to sit quietly. In 2024, the company filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Delhi High Court, claiming that Urban Company’s Native RO design used Kent’s patented technology without authorization.

Kent demanded a permanent injunction — a legal order to stop UC from manufacturing, marketing, or selling its Native purifiers entirely. In other words, Kent tried to shut down the business line before it could scale further.

However, the court did not grant an immediate interim injunction, allowing Urban Company to continue selling its RO systems. It was a small but significant early win for the startup.

The Plot Twist: The Delisting Drama

The story took a dramatic turn in late 2024. Just as the festive sales season began — a crucial period for product-led businesses — UC’s Native purifiers disappeared from Amazon and Flipkart.

For a brand relying on online visibility, this was devastating.

In January 2025, UC struck back with a lawsuit against Kent, accusing the latter of malicious interference.
Urban Company claimed that Kent wrote to the e-commerce giants citing a non-existent court order, misleading them into delisting Native products.

UC argued this act caused “significant financial losses worth several crores” during peak season and sought damages for defamation and lost business opportunities.

The Two-Front War Continues

As of now, both cases remain pending before the Delhi High Court.
Kent continues to allege patent infringement, while Urban Company fights for damages over what it calls “unethical corporate tactics.”

Neither side has shown signs of backing down.
For the industry, this case is being watched closely — not only because of the stakes involved, but also because it represents a clash between the Old Guard and the New Guard.

It’s Kent’s traditional product-profit model versus Urban Company’s tech-driven consumer empowerment strategy.

Ironically, both companies’ founders share a common alma mater — IIT Kanpur — but now stand on opposite sides of one of India’s fiercest corporate battles.

Why This Fight Matters

This isn’t just another legal dispute. The outcome could set a precedent for how legacy manufacturers respond to digital disruptors in India. If Urban Company prevails, it could open the door for more tech startups to challenge entrenched consumer product models.

If Kent wins, it could reaffirm the power of patents and traditional distribution in protecting market dominance.

Either way, the Delhi High Court’s verdict will echo far beyond the courtroom — across boardrooms, startups, and homes across India.

Credit: This article is based on insights originally shared by Jayant Mundhra — Ex-Bain, former Classplus leader, author of “Redemption of a Son,” and a Top LinkedIn Voice known for his deep dives on India’s business and startup ecosystem.