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Aldi, King’s Hawaiian settle suit

Sweet bread brand alleges infringement of package design

Russell Redman

March 2, 2019

2 Min Read
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Sweet bread brand King’s Hawaiian has settled a lawsuit against Aldi over package design for the second time in three years.

King’s Hawaiian said yesterday that in November it filed suit in Los Angeles federal court claiming that Aldi sold sweet Hawaiian bread stuffing mix with packaging that infringed on the brand’s “iconic” orange trade dress for its popular sweet dinner rolls.

The suit also charged Aldi with breach of the parties' earlier settlement that resolved a similar suit King's Hawaiian filed against the Batavia, Ill.-based discount grocer in Georgia in October 2015.

hawaiianaldi_0.pngHow Aldi's Chef's Cupboard brand Hawaiian stuffing mix (left) compares with King’s Hawaiian's stuffing mix and sweet roll packaging.

Los Angeles-based King’s Hawaiian called the packaging of the Aldi stuffing mix “confusingly similar” to its own package design.

Terms of the settlement were confidential, but King’s Hawaiian reported that Aldi will be changing the packaging for its Hawaiian bread stuffing.

Aldi couldn’t be reached for comment on Friday.

"The King's Hawaiian packaging trade dress is one of our most valuable assets, and King's Hawaiian has assembled a top-notch, two-firm legal team to protect and to enforce our intellectual property rights in the trade dress," John Linehan, chief strategy officer for King’s Hawaiian, said in a statement. “We have invested significant time and resources, and it is our intent that this legal team will vigorously pursue any infringement of our trade dress anytime, in any place and at any cost."

King's Hawaiian added that, in recent years, it has filed and resolved several federal lawsuits over its packaging in California, Georgia and Illinois. Those include suits resolved against Sprouts Farmer's Market in 2015, Alpha Baking Co. in 2016, Pan-O-Gold Baking Co. in 2018, and Aldi in 2016 and now this year.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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