A Massachusetts-based Jewish group, the Rabbinical Council of Massachusetts, secured a $594,000 default victory against Sabra Foods. The food company allegedly misused the council’s trademark to label its hummus as “kosher” even though it contained non-kosher ingredients.
Key Points:
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley supported the Rabbinical Council’s request to prevent Sabra Foods from using their trademark, emphasizing the need to avoid confusion and potential harm to consumers looking for kosher products.
It’s crucial to note that Sabra Foods from Norwood, Massachusetts, is not affiliated with the renowned hummus brand, Sabra Dipping Co. LLC, which PepsiCo partially owns.
The Rabbinical Council and its kosher-certification branch, KVH Kosher, had previously issued a cease-and-desist letter to Sabra Foods in 2016. The company’s violations included non-payment of fees, unauthorized ingredient additions, and a general lack of compliance.
Despite the warning, Sabra Foods allegedly kept using the KVH kosher label, misleading consumers about the kosher certification of their hummus.
The court’s order highlighted that Sabra Foods’ actions could erode trust in the KVH mark and compromise its role as a unique identifier for certified kosher products.
The final judgment included $175,000 in damages for trademark rights violations, which was tripled to $525,000. Additionally, Sabra Foods was ordered to pay $54,000 in civil penalties and $14,829 for attorney fees and costs. Courtney Bradley, representing KVH,
expressed satisfaction with the judgment, emphasizing the importance of transparency in food labelling and the protection of the Jewish community’s spiritual health.
The case details are as follows: Rabbinical Council of Massachusetts v. International Food Products Inc., case number 1:22-cv-11460, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
