Dessert brand accuses Aldi of copying product

Pleese branded Freezecakes (left) alongside Aldi's Freezecake product

A brand that makes frozen cheesecake in a tub has accused Aldi of copying its product.

Freezecakes are produced by dessert brand Pleese, based in Redhill, Surrey.

Managing director Joe Moruzzi claimed the supermarket chain had released products using an almost identical name, slogan and flavours.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “We go to great lengths to ensure that all our own exclusive Aldi brand products adhere to strict copyright guidelines.”

Freezecakes, which are available in Waitrose, Co-op and Consort Frozen Foods, are a scoopable frozen cheesecake in a tub, made from 40% cream cheese with flavoured sauces and biscuit pieces.

Mr Moruzzi said the name Freezecakes and its slogan “It’s not ice cream” were trademarked.

“Aldi have used them on their Freezecake dupe packaging,” he said. “We’ve worked so hard to bring this product to market and it’s really disheartening.”

He said he was trying to find positives, which included building more awareness of the product category.

“I knew there would be someone trying to copy the product at some point as it’s the nature of the beast, but I feel violated because we’re a small company,” he said.

In 2022, Marks & Spencer and Aldi reached a settlement in a trademark dispute over caterpillar cakes.

M&S had accused the German discounter of copying its Colin the Caterpillar cake with its own Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake.

Shortly after, Aldi was also locked in a legal spat with M&S over bottles of gin that light up.

Aldi is the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain with more than 1,000 stores and 45,000 members of staff.

Meanwhile, Pleese employs five people.

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