The J.M. Smucker Company is looking to take a bite out of Trader Joe’s.
The two iconic brands appear to be locking horns in a legal battle over peanut butter and jelly treats, with Smucker’s getting territorial over its frozen sandwiches.
‘Our focus is solely on protecting the unique trademarked design.’
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Ohio on Monday and alleges that the Trader Joe’s product Crustless Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Sandwiches is infringing on Smucker’s trademark surrounding the Uncrustables brand.
Smucker’s said the crustless peanut butter and jam sandwich sold by Trader Joe’s mimics the “distinctive” features of its own sandwich, right down to the product look, branding, and lettering on the box.
Smucker’s takes issue with the Trader Joe’s sandwich having a round shape with crimped edges, according to Reuters, which also noted that the imagery of a bitten sandwich that reveals the filling is also an alleged infringement.
As reported by “Good Morning America,” J.M. Smucker also said the Trader Joe’s packaging is in violation of the Smucker’s trademark because the blue lettering is allegedly similar to that of an Uncrustables box; Smucker’s says the color is the same hue as its own.
Smucker’s told ABC News that it “actively monitor[s] the marketplace” and enforces its federally registered trademarks to “protect the distinctive Uncrustables sandwich design and round shape.”
The representative remarked, “Our focus is solely on protecting the unique trademarked design that represents the high quality associated with the Uncrustables brand and preventing consumer confusion caused by imitation.”
Trader Joe’s has yet to provide public comment about the lawsuit and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
As of 2024, the Uncrustables brand is worth a reported $1 billion and has seen significant popularity among Major League Baseball players, for example.
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Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
The Uncrustables campaign has been so successful with MLB that some players claim to be huge consumers of the product.
In 2023, San Francisco Giants second baseman Thairo Estrada reportedly ate an Uncrustables before every game.
In April 2025, Philadelphia Phillies star right fielder Nick Castellanos was spotted eating one of the snacks mid-game.
In Canada, the brand partnered with Canadian-Dominican Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who once coined the term “J&PB” after hilariously reversing the common term due to his broken English.
“Good Morning America” reported that the Trader Joe’s product is sold in a pack of four for $3.79, while a four-pack of Uncrustables from J.M. Smucker costs $4.79.
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