A new class action lawsuit accuses Cento, a premium Italian specialty food importer and distributor, of falsely advertising its San Marzano tomato products as being certified by the European Union.
Plaintiffs Mike Andrich and Natalie Gianne claim Cento’s San Marzano tomato products lack the taste, consistency and other physical characteristics associated with the tomatoes.
They argue only the Italian consortium authorized by the EU — the Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino — can officially certify authentic San Marzano tomatoes and that Cento allegedly uses a different certifier, Agri-Cert.
“Defendant’s marketing and labeling of Cento San Marzanos as ‘Certified San Marzano’ tomatoes is false, misleading, and unfair,” the Cento class action lawsuit says.
Andrich and Gianne further argue Cento was ejected from the European Union’s San Marzano Consortium in 2011 for allegedly committing fraud.
The plaintiffs want to represent a nationwide class of consumers who have purchased Cento San Marzano tomatoes since January 2016.
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