A can of tomatoes is at the center of a new legal battle over whether shoppers were sold a premium story instead of a premium product.
What's happening?
According to CBS, two California residents are suing Cento Fine Foods for "tomato fraud," saying consumers were misled by claims that one of its canned tomato products contains genuine San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.
According to the lawsuit, Cento's "Certified San Marzano" labeling is "false, misleading, and unfair" because the tomatoes allegedly do not match the quality, taste, or official certification standards associated with the famous Italian variety.
The plaintiffs argue that Cento's packaging gives buyers the impression that the tomatoes carry official DOP status, a protected designation tied to strict regional and production requirements in Italy, as explained here by the Chef and the Dish.
The lawsuit alleges Cento's label design is used to "falsely convey" that its tomatoes are the famous variety "grown in the traditional method and certified by [the] Consortium," even though the plaintiffs say that is not the case.
According to CBS, Cento says on its website that its San Marzano tomatoes are certified by an independent third-party agency, Agri-Cert. The lawsuit, however, argues that this is not the same as the official DOP designation and that the company's branding blurs that distinction for consumers.
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Cento also says it is the only U.S. company with a production facility in Campania and that shoppers can use a can's lot code to trace the field where the tomatoes were grown.
Cento did not provide an immediate response to CBS's request for comment.
Why does the lawsuit matter?
The dispute matters because labels tied to origin and quality can directly influence what people buy — and how much they are willing to pay.
Cento's marketing leans heavily on what makes San Marzano tomatoes desirable in the first place. Cento says on its website that the tomatoes come from the southern Italian town for which they are named, Campania, and have a "thicker tomato wall, fewer seeds, and less acidity than other tomatoes, making them ideal for authentic Italian cuisine."
That kind of messaging can make consumers feel confident they are buying a carefully sourced, high-quality product — if the claims hold up.
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If the allegations are true, the issue goes beyond one pantry staple. Misleading origin or certification claims can push everyday shoppers to spend more based on trust that may not be deserved, while making it harder for people to tell the difference between genuine quality standards and clever branding.
The case is also not the first time Cento's tomato claims have faced scrutiny. According to CBS, a 2019 lawsuit in New York made a similar allegation, saying the company produces fewer San Marzano tomatoes than it claims.
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