<p><strong>Kingsville, Ontario</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Mastronardi Produce Ltd. has learned that Naturesweet, Ltd. has filed a suit against the company. The suit against Mastronardi claims the violation of patent and design issues, according to a press release. The lawsuit was commenced in the Northern District of Texas by its competitor, Naturesweet, Ltd. Even though the action has been filed, at the present, Mastronardi has not been served with the formal complaint.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> “Mastronardi is surprised that the action was commenced because Naturesweet has never complained or made any contact whatsoever to Mastronardi regarding any issues relating to the design and packaging of Mastronardi’s ANGEL SWEET brand grape tomatoes,” said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO of Mastronardi.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Mastronardi representatives have not yet read the exact claims that the lawsuit makes, but the company believes that the suit is completely baseless. Mastronardi believes that it was done for the improper purpose to taint Mastronardi’s much anticipated debut of its ANGEL SWEET brand grape tomatoes.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Mr. Mastronardi, states, “Naturesweet’s claims set forth in their press release are wrong on the facts and I am confident that Mastronardi will prevail in its defense of what is clearly an abusive action designed to frustrate the introduction of our ANGEL SWEET brand grape tomatoes. Naturesweet is a company that has been around the block for quite some time and in my opinion simply knows better than to resort to these types of improper tactics."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Mastronardi utilizes its own trademarks and its own packaging designs. The company works with its team of professional advisors in connection with the development, design and implementation of launching new products. Mastronardi’s application to register ANGEL SWEET with the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO) is pending and we are confident that a registration will eventually issue.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
