Smucker's lawsuit against Trader Joe's over frozen sandwiches to proceed

A federal judge in Ohio has ruled that J. M. Smucker can proceed with its trademark infringement lawsuit against Trader Joe's regarding frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Smucker alleges that Trader Joe's violated its trademarks by producing crustless sandwiches with a round shape and crimped edges that too closely resemble Smucker's Uncrustables brand. The lawsuit also claims that Trader Joe's packaging uses colors and photography that mimic Uncrustables' branding.

Trader Joe's has argued for dismissal, stating its sandwiches are shaped as “squircles” (square with rounded edges) rather than circles, and that the crimped design is a functional necessity to hold the contents. The company also contended that Smucker's current packaging is not famous enough to support a trademark dilution claim.

U.S. District Judge John Adams denied the request to dismiss the case, noting that Smucker has invested significant resources into developing and protecting the Uncrustables brand over the last 20 years. The judge also denied Trader Joe's request to move the legal proceedings to California.