By Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Business Writer
Snack Food Maker Mondelez International claims it is “blatantly copying” Mondelez products such as Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins and Oreos, claiming to be packaging Aldi’s store-branded cookies and crackers.
In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Illinois, Chicago-based Monderes said Aldi’s packaging was “highly likely to deceive and confuse customers,” threatening to irreparably harm Monderes and his brand. The company is seeking financial damages and a court order to prevent Aldi from selling products that infringe trademarks.
Aldi did not respond to a message seeking comment. The US branch of Aldi, based in Batavia, Illinois, was named in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Mondelez displayed photos of multiple products side by side. For example, Aldi’s thin wheat crackers come in a gold box that is very similar to the thin wheat of Mondeles. Both Aldi’s chocolate sandwich cookies and Oreo come in blue packaging. The supermarket’s golden round crackers and Monderez’s Ritz crackers are wrapped in red boxes.
Founded in Germany, Aldi keeps prices low, mainly by selling products under its own label. It is one of the fastest growing grocery chains in the United States, with over 2,500 stores in 39 states. On Friday, the company announced that its current Chief Operating Officer, Atty McGrath, will become Aldi’s US CEO on September 1st.
The chain has previously faced a lawsuit over the packaging. Last year, an Australian court found that Aldi infringed the copyright of Baby Berries Snack Puff for Young Children. In that case, the Aldi package featured similar colors to the cartoon owl and name brand package.
Earlier this year, the UK Court of Appeals supported Thitchers, a cider company, and appealed Aldi for similar designs in the lemon cider packaging.
Monderes said in the lawsuit that the company contacted Aldi multiple times about “a confused, similar package.” Mondelez said Aldi has discontinued or changed packaging for some items, but continued to sell other items.
The lawsuit also alleges that Aldi violated Mondares’ trade dress rights to the Nutter Butter and Nilla Wafers cookie packages and its premium cracker brand packaging.
Original issue: May 30, 2025 9:47am EDT
