Smucker Sues Trader Joe’s Over ‘Uncrustables’ Copycat Sandwiches

Smucker is suing Trader Joe's, alleging their sandwiches are too similar to 'Uncrustables', infringing on trademarks. Smucker invested $1B developing the brand and patents.

Smucker also insisted that packages Investor Joe’s sandwiches come in go against the Orrville, Ohio-based business’s hallmarks since they coincide blue shade it makes use of for the lettering on “Uncrustables” plans.

Smucker’s Trademark Claim

Smucker stated Investor Joe’s sandwiches are so similar to Uncrustables that they were currently complicated consumers. In the claim, Smucker revealed a social media sites image of a person claiming that Trader Joe’s is getting with Smucker to make the sandwiches under its own exclusive label.

Investment in Uncrustables Brand

It had not been easy to mass generate them. In the legal action, Smucker stated it has actually spent greater than $1 billion establishing the Uncrustables brand name over the last twenty years. Smucker invested years trying to perfect Uncrustables’ stretchy bread and creating new flavors like delicious chocolate and hazelnut.

Previous Legal Actions

This isn’t the very first time Smucker has taken lawsuit to protect its Uncrustables brand name. In 2022, it sent out a desist and discontinue letter to a Minnesota company called Gallant Tiger, which was making upscale versions of crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with crimped sides.

Smucker’s claim comes a couple of months after a comparable legal action submitted versus the Aldi by Mondelez International, which declared that Aldi’s store-brand cookies and crackers have packaging that is also similar to Mondelez brands like Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins and Oreos.

In the suit, which was submitted Monday in federal court in Ohio, Smucker claimed the round, crustless sandwiches Trader Joe’s sells have the very same pie-like crimp markings on their edges that Uncrustables do. Smucker stated the style breaks its trademarks.

Uncrustables Origin and Patents

Uncrustables were created by 2 pals that began creating them in 1996 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Smucker acquired their business in 1998 and safeguarded licenses for a “secured, crustless sandwich” in 1999.

“Smucker does not differ with others in the market selling prepackaged, frozen, thaw-and-eat crustless sandwiches. But it can not allow others to use Smucker’s beneficial intellectual property to make such sales,” the business stated in its suit.