USDC IN/ND case 3:21-cv-00388 document 1 filed 05/28/21 page 1 of 23

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA

EGGLIFE FOODS, INC., an Indiana Case No.

Corporation,

Plaintiff,
COMPLAINT
vs.

CREPINI, LLC, a New York Limited

Liability Company,
Jury Trial Demanded
Defendant.

Plaintiff Egglife Foods, Inc. for its Complaint against Crepini, LLC for trade dress

infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition, and deception, states as follows:

PARTIES

1. Plaintiff Egglife Foods, Inc. (“Plaintiff” or “Egglife Foods”) is an Indiana

Corporation with its principal place of business located at 911 N 1200 W, Wolcott, IN.

2. Defendant Crepini, LLC (“Defendant” or “Crepini”) is a New York Limited

Liability Company with its principal place of business located at 700 South Drive, Suite 105,

Hopewell Junction, NY.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

3. This is an action for federal trade dress infringement and false designation of

origin under the provisions of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051, et seq., for common law

unfair competition, and for deception under Indiana Crime Victim’s Relief Act, Indiana

Code § 35-43-5-3.
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4. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over the Lanham Act claims

asserted in this Complaint under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and has jurisdiction over the common law

and Indiana state law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1338(b) and 1367.

5. Venue is proper in this District under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) because a

substantial part of the events giving rise to the claims occurred in this District.

6. On information and belief, this Court has personal jurisdiction over

Defendant because Defendant has been conducting continuous and systematic business by

selling its infringing food products within the State of Indiana and within the Northern

District of Indiana.

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

egglife egg white wraps

7. Egglife Foods is an Indiana-based food company that currently sells one

category of products: ready-to-eat wraps that are made with cage-free egg whites instead of

flour (“egglife egg white wraps”).

8. Although often used to replace flour-based tortillas, egglife egg white wraps

are multi-dimensional, and their 2019 introduction created a new category of food

altogether—a grain-free egg wrap found at retail not among traditional flour tortillas, but

instead in the refrigerated dairy section.

9. egglife egg white wraps were invented by Egglife Foods founder, Peggy Johns.

10. Driven by the desire to create a healthier wrap option, Ms. Johns discovered

how to replace flour with egg whites through a now patented method (See US Patent No.

10,194,669 B2) and ultimately provided a low-carb, low-calorie, zero-sugar, gluten-free,

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grain-free, and high-protein option to replace some of the most carb-heavy, high-calorie

foods.

11. As evidenced by the rapid spread of egglife egg white wraps among retail

stores and Egglife Foods’ exponential sales growth, egglife egg white wraps quickly became

popular among consumers.

12. Now available in over 3,500 retail locations across the country, egglife egg

white wraps have earned a loyal following of passionate consumers.

13. In the first quarter of 2021, the egglife brand doubled its organic social

following across Instagram and Facebook and now has over 40,000 fans across social media

and the egglife newsletter.

14. egglife egg white wraps were the number one new product in dairy

departments across many national, regional, and independent grocers in 2020.

15. Egglife Foods is on pace for more than $30 million in retail sales of its egglife

egg white wraps in 2021.

16. Egglife Foods has invested $5 million dollars since 2019 building the egglife

brand, which is now well known for its unique egg white wraps. An integral part of the

egglife brand is the distinctive packaging in which the egglife egg white wraps are sold.

Egglife Foods’ egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress

17. The unique combination of shapes, colors, text font and alignment, center

window, and accent elements acts as an independent source identifier for egglife egg white

wraps and together make the egglife egg white wraps packaging inherently distinctive

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(“egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress”). The particular elements of the egglife Egg Wrap

Trade Dress are pictured below and include the following:

a. Interwoven and overlapping shapes with rounded rather than squared edges

that weave in and out of the front of the package

b. The interwoven and overlapping shapes with rounded rather than squared

edges are comprised of different, yellow-based colors 1

c. Transparent center window with overlaid graphics

d. Prominent display of “egg white wraps” in the center of the transparent

window in the center of the front of the package

1Egglife sells four other egg wrap products in different flavors, each comprised of different
blue-based, purple-based, green-based and orange-based colors respectively.
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e. Lowercase “egglife” brand straight across the upper quarter of the front of the

package

f. Smaller arched text centered over the “egglife” brand near the top of the front

of the package

g. All capitalized “KEEP REFRIGERATED” text at bottom of the front of the

package

18. The egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress is inherently distinctive and as a result of

Egglife Foods’ widespread and exclusive use of the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress, it has

acquired secondary meaning in the minds of consumers as identifying and distinguishing

egglife egg white wrap products.

19. Since its inception, Egglife Foods has continuously used its egglife Egg Wrap

Trade Dress to distinguish itself as the source of the egglife egg white wrap products.

20. Since its inception, Egglife Foods has advertised and promoted its egglife egg

white wraps sold under and represented by the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress extensively

throughout the United States in retail stores and online.

21. As a result, egglife egg white wrap products have developed a national

reputation for premium quality, nutrition, versatility, and value. This well-deserved and

hard-earned reputation is reflected in the substantial and valuable body of goodwill

symbolized by, among other things, the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress.

Crepini’s Founding and Original Products

22. According to its website, Crepini was founded in 2007 after founders Eric and

Paula were introduced to crepes on a trip to Paris. https://crepini.com/pages/our-story.

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23. According to its website, after Crepini was founded, “the dream of bringing

crêpes into every North American household was underway.”

24. As of November 22, 2018, Crepini offered four products:

a. Egg White Thins

b. Egg Thins

c. Spinach Feta Egg White

d. Naked Crepes

See Ex. A, (Wayback Machine image of http://crepini.com/DefaultShop from November

22, 2018)

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25. According to Crepini’s social media post from February 28, 2019, Crepini

changed its Egg White Thins® packaging at least three times from its first iteration through

2019:

See Crepini February 28, 2019 Facebook post (https://www.facebook.com/Crepini).

26. Crepini owns U.S. federal trademark registrations for the marks “Egg Thins”

(U.S. Reg. No. 5888044) and “Egg White Thins” (U.S. Reg. No. 5447364).

27. The 2019 “Egg White Thins” rebrand appeared to coincide with an overall

rebrand by Crepini, including major changes to its website, product packaging, and product

offerings. Compare Ex. B (Wayback Machine image of http://crepini.com/ from December

18, 2019) to Ex. C. (Wayback Machine image of https://crepini.com/pages/our-story from

Dec. 15, 2018).

28. Between August 2019 and January 1, 2020, Crepini removed reference to its

“Egg White Thins with no gluten ingredients” from its website but retained use of the EGG

THINS trademark. Its remaining products included:

a. Egg Thins™ With Cauliflower & Cage-Free Eggs

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b. Egg Thins™ With Cauliflower

c. Egg Thins™ With Sweet Potato

d. Egg Thins™ With Gluten-Free Grains

e. Egg Thins™ With Cauliflower (8 Pack)

See Ex. D. (Wayback Machine image of https://www.crepini.com/ from January 1, 2020).

29. At the time of Egglife’s egglife egg white wraps launch at the end of 2019,

Crepini’s most similar product offering was its “Egg Thins with gluten-free grains”:

See Ex. B (Wayback Machine image of http://crepini.com/ from December 18, 2019).

30. By November 12, 2020, the packaging for Crepini’s “Egg Thins with gluten-

free grains” had been redesigned again:

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See Ex. E (Wayback Machine image of http://crepini.com/ from November 12, 2020).

31. Although Crepini went through multiple redesigns, most design elements

remained constant. For example, the constant design elements included but are not limited

to:

a. The same font

b. The same capitalization of the font (including all capital letters but for a lower

case “i”)

c. The same blue color for the font and accents (e.g., “peel here” and “ready to

eat”)

d. The same prominent “EGG THINS” trademark

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e. The same understated CREPINI crown design mark as the sole indicator of

source

f. Almost exclusively transparent packaging with a simple one-color border

32. Although some of the 2019 and 2020 packaging is still in circulation and

apparently being sold through, Crepini did not stick with its relaunched packaging long.

Crepini’s Rebrand and New “Egg Wraps”

33. According to its website, at some point after Crepini’s founders created their

first product—the “Naked Crepe”—they “continued to innovate, and had a eureka

moment.” That “eureka moment” was the creation of “their Egg Wraps—a better-for-you

version of a traditional crepe.” https://crepini.com/pages/our-story.

34. Although it is not entirely clear from the public record specifically when the

“eureka moment” happened, the latest website capture of the “our-story” page of Crepini’s

website from December 2018 has no mention of the “eureka moment” or of “egg wraps.”

Instead, it focuses on the “naked crepe”:

Crepini is America's Crepe - all natural, delicious, and ready to eat in seconds.
Our signature product The Naked Crepe is a fusion of the classic French
crepe and Russian blini, which means the perfect staple for any meal or snack
in your home. Trust us, your tastebuds will thank you.

See Ex. C. (Wayback Machine image of https://crepini.com/pages/our-story from Dec. 15,

2018).

35. Crepini did for a short time refer to its now discontinued “Egg Thins” / “Egg

White Thins” as a “protein egg white wrap” but that category did not survive the 2019

rebrand. See supra at ¶ 19.

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36. Crepini’s first mention of an “egg wrap” on its social media did not come until

January 4, 2020, when it introduced its “new large Egg Wraps” with cauliflower:

37. But according to Crepini’s website and as of November 12, 2020, all of its

other products were still called EGG THINS®:

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https://web.archive.org/web/20201112022826/https://www.crepini.com/

38. As announced on Crepini’s social media on January 1, 2021—after Crepini

had rebranded at least twice in an eighteen-month period and more than a year since egglife

egg white wraps hit the market—Crepini completed yet another rebrand. Only this time the

packaging overhaul was more extensive, changing the name of the product to “egg wraps”

and adopting an entirely new look:

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39. With its 2021 rebrand, Crepini abandoned almost every element of its prior

packaging, including design elements that had just been added in connection with its 2019

and 2020 rebranding efforts.

40. Crepini even abandoned its long used CREPINI design mark—a version of

which had previously appeared on all product packaging, on all social media pages, and on

Crepini’s ecommerce website for the last decade:

41. Crepini also abandoned use of its long-time, federally registered EGG THINS

and EGG WHITE THINS trademarks in favor of “Egg Wraps”:

42. Crepini’s new packaging copied several elements of the egglife Egg Wrap

Trade Dress:

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Interwoven and overlapping shapes with rounded rather than squared edges

The interwoven and overlapping with rounded rather than squared

edges are comprised of nearly identical yellow-based colors

Transparent center window with overlaid graphics

Lowercase brand straight across the upper quarter of the packaging

Smaller arched text centered over the top of the brand near the top of the

packaging

Abandoned trademarked EGG THINS in favor of “egg wraps”

Abandoned the long-used CREPINI and crown design trademark in favor of

lowercase font across the top of the packaging

Added “Keep Refrigerated” messaging in all capital letters to the bottom of

the packaging

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43. Egglife Foods has not authorized Crepini to use its egglife Egg Wrap Trade

Dress in any manner whatsoever.

44. In addition to taking various elements of the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress,

Crepini is selling its “egg wraps” in direct competition to egglife, including:

a. at a similar (low) price point

b. through the same channels of trade

c. to the same consumers

d. who exercise a low degree of care in purchasing the low-price products

45. Crepini’s new 2021 packaging pictured above is likely to and has caused

consumer confusion between egglife’s egg white wraps and Crepini’s wrap products and is

therefore infringing Egglife Foods’ rights (“Crepini’s Infringing Product Packaging”).

Crepini’s Infringing Product Packaging Use Has Caused Consumer Confusion

46. Egglife Foods’ concern that consumers will be confused by Crepini’s

Infringing Product Packaging is not hypothetical. In just the short five months Crepini’s

Infringing Product Packaging has been in circulation, Egglife Foods is aware of more than a

dozen instances of actual consumer confusion based on online social media comments

alone.

47. egglife egg white wraps are not sold in Costco stores, but Crepini’s “egg

wraps” with the new Crepini Infringing Product Packaging are. Nonetheless and since the

launch of the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging at the start of 2021, Egglife Foods has

received comments from consumers through Egglife Foods’ social media platforms

indicating their purchase of egglife egg white wraps at Costco:

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Facebook

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Instagram

48. This evidences significant consumer confusion based on the very small

percentage of consumers who took the time over a short five-month span to comment on

Egglife Foods’ social media platforms that they believed they found egglife egg white wraps

at Costco. The true extent of actual consumer confusion is far greater.

49. Egglife Foods has suffered and will continue to suffer lost revenue as a result

of Crepini’s infringing production, marketing and sale of its egg wraps using Crepini’s

Infringing Product Packaging.

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COUNT I
Trade Dress Infringement and False Designation of Origin
15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)

50. Egglife Foods repeats and realleges all allegations in this Complaint as if fully

set forth herein.

51. The egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress is comprised of the discrete features listed

in Paragraph 17 above, is inherently distinctive and has acquired secondary meaning in the

minds of consumers.

52. The egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress, comprised of an original combination of

features recognized by consumers as indicators of source of Egglife Foods products, is

nonfunctional.

53. The egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress is therefore protected under Section 43(a)

of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1125(a).

54. Egglife Foods has used its inherently distinctive egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress

in interstate commerce in connection with the advertising, offering for sale and sale of its

egglife egg white wraps.

55. Crepini’s intentional adoption of the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging

that is so similar to the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress has confused the public into believing

that the Crepini wrap products are the same as egglife egg white wraps or is authorized,

sponsored or approved by or affiliated with Egglife Foods.

56. Crepini’s use in commerce of the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging that is

confusingly similar to the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress constitutes infringement of Egglife

Foods’ rights in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a).

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57. As a direct and proximate result of Crepini’s actions described herein, Egglife

Foods has suffered, and will continue to suffer, irreparable injury to its revenue, business,

reputation, and goodwill, unless and until the Court enjoins Crepini’s actions.

58. Egglife Foods’ remedy at law is not adequate to compensate Egglife Foods for

its injuries inflicted from Crepini’s adoption and use of the Crepini Infringing Product

Packaging. Egglife Foods is therefore entitled to entry of injunctive relief pursuant to 15

U.S.C. § 1116.

59. Crepini has caused Egglife Foods to suffer monetary damages in an amount to

be proven at trial and Egglife Foods is entitled to recovery of Crepini’s profits attributable to

Crepini’s use of the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging in commerce.

60. Because Crepini selected and used the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging in

an effort to trade on Egglife Foods’ goodwill, Crepini’s infringement is willful and Egglife

Foods is entitled to treble damages pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1117.

COUNT II
Common Law Unfair Competition

61. Egglife Foods repeats and realleges all allegations in this Complaint as if fully

set forth herein.

62. Crepini’s adoption of the Crepini Infringing Product Packaging that is so

similar to the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress has confused the public into believing that the

Crepini wrap products are the same as egglife egg white wrap products or is authorized,

sponsored or approved by or affiliated with Egglife Foods.

63. Crepini’s actions therefore constitute unfair competition in violation of

Indiana Common Law.

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64. As a direct and proximate result of Crepini’s actions described herein, Egglife

Foods has suffered, and will continue to suffer, irreparable injury to its revenue, business,

reputation, and goodwill, unless and until the Court enjoins Crepini’s actions.

65. Egglife Foods’ remedy at law is not adequate to compensate Egglife Foods for

its injuries inflicted from Crepini’s unfair competition. Egglife Foods is therefore entitled to

entry of injunctive relief.

66. Crepini has caused Egglife Foods to suffer monetary damages in an amount to

be proven at trial and Egglife Foods is entitled to recovery Crepini’s profits attributable to

Crepini’s unfair competition.

67. Crepini’s unfair competition has been willful. Egglife Foods is therefore

entitled to treble damages and the recovery of its reasonable attorneys’ fees.

COUNT III
Deception
Indiana Crime Victim’s Relief Act, Indiana Code § 35-43-5-3

68. Egglife Foods repeats and realleges all allegations in this Complaint as if fully

set forth herein.

69. By engaging in the knowing intentional, deliberate, willful, and malicious

actions described above, Crepini has disseminated to the general public a product and

product packaging that Crepini knows is false, misleading, or deceptive, with the intent to

promote Crepini’s business and/or commercial interests and convert customers of Egglife

Foods to customers of Crepini.

70. Crepini has committed deception under Indiana Code § 35-43-5-3.

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71. As a direct and proximate result of Crepini’s actions, Crepini has caused

damage to Egglife Foods’ business, reputation and the goodwill associated with the egglife

Egg Wrap Trade Dress.

72. As a direct and proximate result of Crepini’s use of intentionally deceptive

product packaging targeting Egglife customers, Crepini has diverted sales from Egglife

Foods to Crepini. Egglife Foods has therefore suffered a pecuniary loss as a result of

Crepini’s deceptive acts.

73. Crepini committed these acts of deception knowingly, willfully, deliberately,

and maliciously, with the intent to cause confusion and mistake, and to deceive.

Accordingly, Egglife Foods is entitled to a monetary recovery in an amount to be proven at

trial and Egglife Foods seeks statutory remedies under the Indiana Crime Victim’s Relief

Act, Indiana Code § 34-24-3-1 for Crepini’s violations of Indiana Code § 35-43-5-3(a)(6),

including, but not limited to, treble damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.

74. Egglife Foods has been and continues to be damaged by Crepini’s willful and

unlawful activities and conduct, and unless Crepini’s conduct is enjoined, Egglife Foods’

reputation and the goodwill associated with the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress will continue

to suffer irreparable injury that cannot be adequately calculated or compensated by monetary

damages. Accordingly, Egglife Foods is entitled to injunctive relief.

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs pray that this Court:

1. Enter judgment against Crepini finding that it has through its unauthorized

and willful use of the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress infringed upon Egglife Foods’ trade

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dress rights, applied a false designation of origin to its “egg wrap” products, and competed

unfairly with Egglife Foods, and as a result caused irreparable harm to the goodwill and

business reputation of Egglife Foods in violation of Federal and State Law.

2. Preliminarily and permanently enjoin and restrain Crepini, its officers, agents,

servants, employees and attorneys, and any other person in active concert or participation

with Crepini who receives actual notice of the Court’s order, from using the Crepini

Infringing Trade Dress and any elements of the egglife Egg Wrap Trade Dress in connection

with the marketing and sale of Crepini products.

3. Award Plaintiff a monetary recovery consistent with 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a) in an

amount to be proven at trial.

4. Declare that Crepini’s infringement and other wrongful acts were deliberate,

willful, and in conscious disregard of Egglife Foods’ rights.

5. Require Crepini to pay to Egglife Foods an amount three times the profits of

Crepini or actual losses of Egglife Foods.

6. Enter judgment ordering Crepini to pay Egglife Foods all its reasonable

taxable costs and attorneys’ fees in this action in a sum and manner deemed appropriate by

this Court pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a) or other applicable law.

7. Any other relief this Honorable Court deems just and equitable.

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

Egglife Foods demands a jury trial in connection with this action.

Dated: May 28, 2021

/s/ Louis T. Perry
Louis T. Perry (IN 257363-49)
FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

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300 N. Meridian Street, Suite 2500

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Telephone: 317-237-0300
Facsimile: 317-237-1000
[email protected]

David R. Merritt (MN 0393062) pro hac vice pending

FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP
2200 Wells Fargo Center 90 S. Seventh Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Tel: (612) 766-7000
Fax: (612) 766-1600
[email protected]

Attorneys for Plaintiff Egglife Foods, Inc.

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