(Newser)
– The truth in advertising is important to most people, but especially to Robert Galinsky. UPI reports that the Yonkers, New York resident has filed a class action lawsuit against King’s Hawaiian, a Hawaiian candy maker based in Torrance, California, that led to Galinsky’s complaint. In his suit, Galinsky says that while the California location appears on the back of the rolls packaging, “Hilo, Hawaii” adorns the front, which led him to believe that the bread was made in the state of Aloha. Galinsky adds to his complaint that King’s Hawaiian has filed lawsuits against other manufacturers to prevent them from using the word “Hawaiian Rolls” in their marketing warranties, essentially making the company its primary target.
King’s Hawaiian “is the leading seller of Hawaiian rolls and essentially invented this category of food,” says Galinsky in his suit. The company’s website explains that it was founded in the 1950s in Hilo by Hawaiian Robert Taira and was named Robert’s Bakery. When it expanded and moved to King Street in Honolulu, it was renamed King’s Bakery. But “Robert was determined to spread his Aloha Spirit across the continent,” the site notes, so in 1977 the company moved to a new facility in Torrance and renamed it King’s Hawaiian Bakery, which is its current name. Galinsky says the company knew that if it placed “Hilo” prominently on the front of the packaging “it would be [mislead] consumers, “says its lawsuit, according to Top Class Actions. Hawaii News Now notes that this type of complaint about the use of Hawaii themed labeling has occurred previously, even with Kona Brewing and Hawaiian Host. ( Read more court stories).