Judge says Smucker’s lawsuit against Trader Joe’s over frozen sandwiches can proceed.

A federal judge has allowed J.M. Smucker to continue its lawsuit against Trader Joe's regarding frozen sandwiches similar to Smucker's Uncrustables, according to court documents. Smucker filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in federal court in Ohio last fall, claiming Trader Joe's committed a violation when it introduced frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a round shape and crimped edges identical to Uncrustables.

Trader Joe's countered that its sandwiches are shaped like "squircles" with rounded edges and not round, while Smucker argued that its current packaging, introduced in 2024, is not recognizable enough for a federal trademark dilution claim. Despite Trader Joe's request to move the case to California, District Judge John Adams ruled that Smucker had invested substantially in developing Uncrustables and protecting the brand over the past two decades, and that customers associate the design trademarks with the Smucker brand.