Barefoot Contessa Sues OFI Imports For Continuing Sale of 'Contessa Chef Inspired' Products
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton February 18, 2015
The Barefoot Contessa Brand, owned by TV cooking show host and author Ina Garten, sued OFI Imports in a Manhatten Court today over continued use of 'Contessa Chef' brand products.
Barefoot Contessa is a brand of retail prepared foods that had previously been manufactured by Contessa Foods. This company went bankrupt in the spring of 2014, and OFI bought the assetts. As part of the sale, they were also allowed to continue selling previously manufactured Barefoot Contessa products. However, no agreement was reached on a new licensing agreement.
OFI sought to become a licensee of the brand but was turned down because of its lack of experience in the frozen-food business beyond seafood, the lawsuit said.
OFI then created a line of 'contessa chef inspired' products, which the suit claims infringe on the Barefoot Contessa Brand.
The suit claims the design, packaging and recipes of “Contessa Chef Inspired” products are directly copied from a previously authorized product line called "Barefoot Contessa" dinners...
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