Key Facts

• The lawsuit accuses Cento Fine Foods of "tomato fraud" by mislabeling its San Marzano tomato products.
• San Marzano tomatoes come from a specific region in Italy and have a protected status called DOP, meaning they must meet strict standards.
• An independent group called Il Consorzio di Tutela regulates and certifies true San Marzano tomatoes.
• The lawsuit claims Cento’s tomatoes lack this certification and do not meet the quality and taste associated with authentic San Marzano tomatoes.
• Cento said it stopped seeking certification in the 2010s due to labeling rules, though the lawsuit notes this may have followed an investigation into counterfeit labels.
• Cento’s lawyer said the lawsuit is meritless and promised to defend the company strongly.
• Cento previously faced a similar lawsuit in New York that was dismissed by a federal judge in 2020.
• The New York judge said consumers are unlikely to specifically demand consortium-certified San Marzano tomatoes.