Wahlburgers accused of 'duping' customers in pickle lawsuit
BOSTON - Wahlburgers is facing a lawsuit from a fellow Massachusetts company over the pickles it sells in stores.
Grillo's Pickles says the burger chain falsely claims their pickles are "fresh" and "all natural." But they say lab tests show Wahlburgers brand pickles have a preservative meant to extend their shelf life.
Grillo's says they do not use preservatives in their own products. They claim Wahlburgers also uses similar packaging to Grillo's and says this can make things confusing for stores and customers and steer them away from buying Grillo's products.
"In positioning its products as 'fresh' and containing 'no preservatives,' our competitor is effectively duping consumers and retailers, especially those who are actively seeking all-natural food products with clean labels," Grillo's Pickles president Adam Kaufman said in a statement.
The lawsuit also names New Jersey-based Patriot Pickle Inc. and ARKK Food Company. WBZ-TV reached out to Wahlburgers for comment, but so far the company has not responded.
The Wahlberg family opened the first Wahlburgers in Hingham in 2011.