Food Network Host Ina Garten, better known as Barefoot Contessa, is suing a California-based food manufacturer for allegedly selling frozen dinners that mimic the packaging and recipes of her line of comparable products.
Garten filed suit against OFI Imports Inc. in Manhattan District Court on Tuesday, claiming the "vast majority" of OFI's "Contessa Chef Inspired" line of frozen dinners are the same dinners using the same recipes as the dinners previously manufactured" by Contessa Premium Brands.
In Spring 2014, Contessa Premium Brands went out of business and sold its assets to OFI for $21 million in June, but Garten's suit contests licensing was not part of that deal as Garten's camp had concerns about OFI's lack of experience producing frozen food.
OFI's "Contessa Chef Inspired" foods have the same packaging photos, product names, box art and font choices as Barefoot Contessa brand, with only minor hue alterations and Garten's image replaced with a model in an apron.
"The continued production of products bearing the name 'Contessa Chef Inspired' and sold in a way that is virtually identical to 'Barefoot Contessa' dinners represents clear infringement of our intellectual property rights," Garten said in a statement.
"OFI has refused to stop, and that leaves no choice other than to pursue legal action that will protect the brand that I've built over the last 35 years."