Cento Tomato Fraud Class Action Lawsuit

Q: How much money is the Cento lawsuit seeking?

The complaint asks the court for $25 million or more in restitution to class members, plus other relief. The court has not ruled on those requests.

Q: What is the Cento case number?

The case is Andrich et al. v. Cento Fine Foods Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-04012, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

By Steve Levine

Cento Certified San Marzano tomato class action lawsuit

Published: June 5, 2026

▼ Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet

This article describes a proposed class action complaint. The statements below are allegations only. Cento Fine Foods Inc. has not been found liable, no class has been certified, and there is no settlement or claim form at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.

Status Lawsuit Filed complaint filed May 4, 2026 · no settlement yet

Case Andrich et al. v. Cento Fine Foods Inc. Case No. 3:26-cv-04012 · Northern District of California

Product Cento “Certified San Marzano” Tomatoes lawsuit challenges labeling and certification claims

Can I Claim? No, Nothing To Claim Yet no class has been certified and no claim form exists

What Is the Cento Tomato Fraud Class Action About?

A proposed class action lawsuit accuses Cento Fine Foods Inc. of misleading shoppers with “Certified San Marzano” tomato labels.

The case is Andrich et al. v. Cento Fine Foods Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-04012, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The complaint alleges that Cento markets certain canned tomato products as “Certified San Marzano” in a way that makes shoppers believe the products are authentic DOP or PDO certified San Marzano tomatoes certified by the official Italian consortium.

The lawsuit claims that the products allegedly are not of equivalent origin and quality to tomatoes certified by the Consorzio di Tutela del Pomodoro San Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP, the consortium tied to the protected San Marzano tomato designation.

Cento has denied the allegations. In media statements, the company has reportedly called the lawsuit meritless and pointed to a prior similar case that was dismissed in New York federal court.

Why Are San Marzano Tomatoes Important?

San Marzano tomatoes are commonly marketed as a premium Italian tomato used for sauces, pizza and Italian cooking.

The lawsuit says the protected San Marzano designation is tied to tomatoes grown and processed under specific standards in the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino area of Campania, Italy. The complaint compares this type of food designation to other protected geographic labels, where the name is connected to a specific place and production process.

The plaintiffs allege that Cento’s “Certified San Marzano” language causes shoppers to believe they are buying tomatoes that carry official DOP/PDO San Marzano certification, while Cento allegedly uses a different third-party certification system.

Which Cento Products Are Named?

The complaint refers to the challenged products collectively as “Cento San Marzanos.”

The products identified in the complaint include:
• Cento San Marzano Certified Peeled Tomatoes
• Cento San Marzano Organic Certified Peeled Tomatoes

The lawsuit alleges the labels and marketing statements falsely convey that the products are famous certified San Marzano tomatoes grown in the traditional method and certified by the official consortium.

What Do the Plaintiffs Claim?

Plaintiffs Mike Andrich and Natalie Gianne, both California consumers, allege they purchased Cento San Marzanos after relying on the challenged labeling.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs believed they were buying authentic, certified San Marzano tomatoes. They allege they would not have bought the products, or would not have paid the same price, if they had known the products allegedly were not official DOP San Marzano tomatoes.

The complaint also alleges the products were sold at a premium price over regular canned tomatoes and at a price similar to actual certified San Marzano tomatoes.

These allegations have not been proven in court.

Who Could Be Included?

The complaint seeks to represent a proposed nationwide class of U.S. residents and citizens who purchased Cento San Marzanos in the United States for personal or household use, and not for resale, from January 1, 2016 to the present.

That class definition is only proposed. No judge has certified a class, and consumers cannot file a claim at this stage.

If the case later settles or a class is certified, eligibility may change based on court orders, settlement terms or proof requirements.

What Laws Are Cited?

The complaint brings claims under several California consumer protection and advertising laws.

The legal claims include alleged violations of the California Unfair Competition Law, California False Advertising Law, California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, breach of express warranty, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.

Cento has not been found liable for any of these claims.

How Much Money Is the Lawsuit Seeking?

The complaint asks the court for more than $25 million in restitution to proposed class members, along with other relief.

The plaintiffs also seek an order requiring Cento to stop the allegedly deceptive practices and engage in corrective advertising.

This is not a settlement fund. It is a demand in a newly filed complaint, and the court has not decided whether consumers are owed money.

Is There a Cento San Marzano Tomato Settlement?

No. There is no Cento San Marzano tomato settlement at this time.

The case is at the lawsuit filed stage. There is no approved settlement, no claim form, no claim deadline and no payout date.

Consumers should be cautious of any website or social media post claiming that a Cento tomato settlement payment is already available.

What Proof Should Shoppers Keep?

There is no claim process yet, but shoppers who believe they purchased the products may want to keep records in case the lawsuit later results in a settlement or certified class.

Useful records may include receipts, online order history, grocery loyalty account records, photos of cans or labels, and approximate purchase dates and store names.

Keeping proof does not mean a payment is available now. It only helps preserve information if the case moves forward.

What Happens Next?

Because this is a proposed class action in the early stages, Cento may answer the complaint, ask the court to dismiss the case, or otherwise challenge the claims.

The plaintiffs would also need to win class certification before the case could proceed on behalf of a nationwide class.

Many proposed class actions are dismissed, narrowed, settled or amended before any money becomes available to consumers.

How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?

Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Cento tomato fraud class action lawsuit about?

The lawsuit alleges that Cento misleads consumers by labeling certain canned tomatoes as “Certified San Marzano” even though the plaintiffs claim the products are not official DOP certified San Marzano tomatoes. These allegations have not been proven in court.

Is there a Cento San Marzano tomato settlement?

No. The case is at the lawsuit filed stage. There is no approved settlement, no claim form and no money to claim at this time.

Who could be included in the proposed Cento class action?

The complaint seeks to represent U.S. residents and citizens who purchased Cento San Marzanos in the United States for personal or household use, and not for resale, from January 1, 2016 to the present. No class has been certified yet.

How much money is the Cento lawsuit seeking?

The complaint asks the court for more than $25 million in restitution to class members, plus other relief. The court has not ruled on those requests.

What is the case number?

The case is Andrich et al. v. Cento Fine Foods Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-04012, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Sources

• TortsAndActions.com: Cento San Marzano Tomato Class Action Lawsuit Filed – What’s Next?
• ABC News: Popular Italian Food Brand Accused of Tomato Fraud in New Lawsuit
• People: Cento Fine Foods Sued Over Certified San Marzano Labeling

Filing Class Action Claims

There is no claim form for this lawsuit right now. Class action claim forms, when available, are submitted under penalty of perjury. Please submit only truthful information. Fraudulent claims can be rejected and reduce funds available to legitimately affected class members. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news and class-action information site and is not the Settlement Administrator or a law firm; we do not process or decide claims.

For more class actions keep scrolling below.

Case Title Andrich et al. v. Cento Fine Foods Inc.

Case Number 3:26-cv-04012

Court U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Judge Judge James Donato

Status Lawsuit filed, no settlement yet

Filed May 4, 2026

Defendant Cento Fine Foods Inc.

Products Cento San Marzano Certified Peeled Tomatoes and Cento San Marzano Organic Certified Peeled Tomatoes

Claim Form Not available

Complaint Read the Complaint