An Italian food importer is being sued for committing "tomato fraud," after two California residents filed a lawsuit against the company for false advertising.
Cento Fine Foods, Inc., is a nationwide distributor of Italian specialty products based in New Jersey. One of the products they advertise is San Marzano tomatoes, a variety of plum tomato unique to a small area of Campania in southern Italy.
San Marzanos "have a typical elongated shape and usually measure between six and eight centimeters; when ripe, the color is bright red," according to the suit. "The thin skin peels off easily, enclosing firm, fleshy pulp with few seeds. The interior has two or three chambers and the taste is typically strong, sweet and sour. The dense, fleshy pulp ensures that San Marzano does not crush during processing, producing firm peeled tomatoes and consistent sauces."
As such, the tomatoes have a special designation from the European Union and meet strict production quality standards; this is overseen by a consortium that has sole authority to certify and approve the sale of San Marzanos, and is then signified by a seal and has the right to bear the name.
Unique Traits Command a Higher Price
Because of their unique qualities, San Marzanos command a higher price at retail. But tomatoes labeled San Marzanos without the certifications are available in U.S. stores. The suit alleges that Cento is the "primary culprit of this tomato fraud in the United States."The suit alleges that Cento tomatoes mimic the label of authentic San Marzano tomatoes, but Cento was removed from the consortium in 2011 after Italian authorities discovered tens of thousands of cans falsely labeled, for which the company and its surrogates forged signatures from farmers and lied to obtain certifications.
The suit claims that the company's online marketing materials further the false certification.
The two plaintiffs are California consumers who bought Cento canned tomatoes multiple times from 2023–25. They allege that in purchasing the tomatoes, they relied on the false advertising material on Cento's labels and online marketing and were deceived. They allege that Cento violated California's Unfair Competition Law, which they did not realize until later.
The suit is a class action; the plaintiffs are demanding $500 in restitution to each plaintiff, $25,000,000 or more in restitution to class members, and $10,000 to each plaintiff as an incentive award. They also want Cento to surrender their profits from the allegedly mislabeled tomatoes, as well as a cease and desist order against the labeling practices, and an order to require a corrective advertising campaign.
NTD News reached out to Cento for comment.