Issue No. 048 · Story 01 · September 2, 2026

Smucker's Uncrustables Trademark Case Against Trader Joe's Moves Forward

An Ohio federal judge denied Trader Joe's bid to dismiss J.M. Smucker's trademark lawsuit over frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and declined to transfer the case to California.

§Smucker alleges that Trader Joe's sandwiches copy the round shape and crimped edge associated with Uncrustables.
§The complaint also challenges package colors and a photograph showing a bite taken from the sandwich.
§Trader Joe's argues that its sandwiches are square with rounded edges and that crimping serves a functional purpose.
§The court found that Smucker adequately pleaded fame for its asserted marks at this stage of the case.

THE TAKEAWAY

This issue tracks how distinct brand assets can shape disputes across food packaging, musician identity, legacy media names, and online content delivery.

Filing: N.D. Ohio

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