(Newser)
– The truth in advertising is important to most people, but especially to Robert Galinsky. UPI reports that the resident of Yonkers, NY, has filed a class action lawsuit against King’s Hawaiian, a maker of Hawaiian sweet rolls based in Torrance, California – thus leading to Galinsky’s complaint. In his suit, Galinsky says that although the location of California is indicated on the back of the roll packaging, “Hilo, Hawaii” adorns the front, which led him to believe that the bread was made in the state of Aloha. Galinsky adds in his complaint that King’s Hawaiian has filed its own lawsuits against other manufacturers to prevent them from using the word “Hawaiian rolls” in their marketing material, essentially making the company its main target.
King’s Hawaiian “is the main seller of Hawaiian rolls and essentially invented this food category,” says Galinsky in his suit. The company’s website explains that it was founded in the 1950s in Hilo by Hawaiian Robert Taira and is called 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,” notes the website, and so, in 1977, the company moved to a new facility in Torrance and renamed it as King’s Hawaiian Bakery, which is its current name. Galinsky says the company knew that putting “Hilo” prominently on the front of the package ” [mislead] consumers, “says its lawsuit, according to first-class actions. Hawaii News Now notes that this type of complaint regarding the use of Hawaii-themed labels has happened before, including Kona Brewing and Hawaiian Host. (Read more process stories.)