J.M. Smucker Co. Files Suit Against Trader Joe’s
J.M. Smucker Co. has initiated a lawsuit against Trader Joe’s, asserting that the grocery chain’s new frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches closely mimic the design and packaging of Smucker’s own Uncrustables.
In documents filed on Monday in a federal court in Ohio, Smucker pointed out that the round, earless sandwiches from Trader Joe’s feature pie-like crimped edges, which they claim infringe on Smucker’s trademark. Additionally, the blue packaging of Trader Joe’s sandwiches resembles the color used for Uncrustables.
Smucker’s lawsuit further noted that the boxes from Trader Joe’s also depict sandwiches with bite marks, similar to Uncrustables, raising concerns of customer confusion.
According to Smucker, “We have no issues with other companies offering pre-packaged, frozen crustless sandwiches. However, it’s important we protect our intellectual property from being used by others for their benefit.”
Trader Joe’s, based in Monrovia, California, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Uncrustable was developed by two friends and launched in 1996 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Smucker acquired the brand in 1998 and secured a patent for the “sealed crustless sandwich” in 1999. However, producing them on a large scale wasn’t without its challenges. Over the last two decades, Smucker claims to have invested over $1 billion into the Uncrustables brand and has worked to refine its unique bread and introduce new flavors like chocolate and hazelnut.
In the lawsuit, Smucker also mentioned that customers are already mistaking Trader Joe’s sandwiches for Uncrustables. They included a social media post where an individual claims that Trader Joe’s has a contract with Smucker to produce sandwiches under its private label.
This isn’t Smucker’s first legal battle to safeguard the Uncrustables brand. Previously, in 2022, they sent a cease-and-desist letter to Minnesota-based Gallant Tiger, which was making a premium crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich that featured crimped edges akin to Uncrustables.
Interestingly, this case emerges shortly after Mondelez International filed a lawsuit against Aldi for allegedly imitating the packaging of its well-known products like Chips Ahoy and Oreos.
