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Judge Lets Smucker’s Uncrustables Lawsuit Against Trader Joe’s Proceed

9/1/2026

Summary

Judge Allows Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge John Adams allowed J.M. Smucker’s trademark lawsuit against Trader Joe’s to proceed.
The Ohio suit alleges Trader Joe’s frozen PB&J sandwiches copy Uncrustables’ round shape and crimped edges.
Smucker also claims Trader Joe’s blue packaging and bite-photo closely resemble Uncrustables’ design.
Trader Joe’s says its sandwiches are “squircles,” square shapes with rounded edges, not circles.
Judge Adams rejected Trader Joe’s request to move the case to California, keeping it in Ohio.

Summary

Smucker Shares Surge

J.M. Smucker’s market value reached $14.177 billion as its share price climbed to $132.71.
The stock posted a 38 percent gain in 2026, nearing its 52-week high of $135.89.
First-quarter revenue hit $2.22 billion, beating analyst forecasts and prompting a softer full-year sales-decline outlook.
Uncrustables sales rose 12 percent year-over-year, reinforcing its role as a key growth engine.

History

Historical Context

In 1915 Earl R. Dean of Root Glass created the contoured Coca-Cola bottle, a design patented that year and adopted as the brand’s standard by 1920. Decades later, the 1977 federal ruling by Judge James L. Oakes protected that 12-ounce shape, citing a $2.5 million market impact. The decision now guides the Smucker-Trader Joe’s dispute over Uncrustables’ packaging.

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Judge Allows Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge John Adams allowed J.M. Smucker’s trademark lawsuit against Trader Joe’s to proceed.
The Ohio suit alleges Trader Joe’s frozen PB&J sandwiches copy Uncrustables’ round shape and crimped edges.
Smucker also claims Trader Joe’s blue packaging and bite-photo closely resemble Uncrustables’ design.
Trader Joe’s says its sandwiches are “squircles,” square shapes with rounded edges, not circles.
Judge Adams rejected Trader Joe’s request to move the case to California, keeping it in Ohio.

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