Overview
- Cento Fine Foods was hit with a proposed class action in the Northern District of California, filed Monday, accusing it of “tomato fraud” and seeking more than $25 million and labeling changes.
- The suit says “Certified San Marzano” branding leads shoppers to assume EU DOP status, which the Italian consortium grants only for tomatoes grown and processed in the Sarnese‑Nocerino area.
- Plaintiffs argue Cento instead relies on Agri‑Cert, a third‑party verifier, and that the cans lack the taste and traits consumers expect from true San Marzano tomatoes.
- Cento calls the case “entirely without merit” and says it will seek quick dismissal, noting a similar U.S. lawsuit was thrown out in 2020.
- Court records cited in coverage describe a 2010 raid in Italy that found mislabeled cans and a 2019 conviction of a Cento operations manager for forging certifications.