JM Smucker has been building its Uncrustables frozen sandwich empire for over a quarter-century, and the brand’s massive popularity has spawned an entire category of imitators.
The Uncrustables product lineup enjoys a massive 20% compound annual growth rate and is expected to reach $1 billion for Smucker in 2026, said CEO, President and Chairman Mark Smucker at the 2026 CAGNY (Consumer Analyst Group of New York) conference.
Uncrustables sales have tripled at convenience store outlets over the last year and are among the fastest-growing brands in the channel.
The success has not gone unnoticed by rival food manufacturers and private-label grocery lines aiming to get in on the frozen PB&J business, and that’s keeping Smucker on its toes.
The company is developing new product lines within the brand and marking its territory with a lawsuit against Trader Joe’s in October for trademark infringement.
Frozen no more
Smucker is cutting out the friction of thawing with the announcement at CAGNY that it is changing the formulation to make the entire Uncrustables product portfolio “fridge friendly.”
The company said at CAGNY that the time it takes to thaw the Uncrustables sandwiches is a “common consumer barrier” for the product.
The new formulation, which is set to be released later this summer, enables consumers to keep thawed Uncrustables in the refrigerator for up to five days before spoiling.
“Because shoppers have made us a leader in the freezer aisle, we’re evolving to meet them where they are. No more creative ‘speed-thaw’ hacks required,” said Smucker Marketing VP Jessica Fair. “By making our entire portfolio fridge friendly, we’re eliminating thaw time so fans can enjoy the same Unbeatably Soft Bread and favorite flavors the moment they want a snack.”
Smucker is also innovating with new flavors, releasing its high-protein Up & Apple and Bright-Eyed Berry varieties in late 2025.
Uncrustables dupes on notice
Grocery stores are teeming with Uncrustables knockoffs all eager to dethrone the king of frozen PB&J sandwiches, but Smucker is beginning to take legal action to block them.
In October, JM Smucker sued Trader Joe’s in federal court, claiming that its Crustless Peanut Butter Strawberry Jam Sandwiches constitute trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition, false designation of origin and deceptive trade practices.
Smucker argues that Trader Joe’s packaging design too closely mimics its own for the Uncrustables brand and is “likely to deceive and cause confusion, mistake or deception among consumers or potential consumers,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that the image of the defrosted pocket-shaped sandwich on the Trader Joe’s packaging violates trademark law because of its image of the crustless sandwich with a single bite out of the side.
“For at least the last 20 years, Smucker has invested over a billion dollars to develop the goodwill associated with its Uncrustables brand and the trademark rights in and to the design of a round crustless sandwich, inclusive of the configuration in a round pie-like shape with distinct peripheral undulated crimping, as well as the pictorial representations of a round crustless sandwich in whole and with a bite taken out of it showing filling on the inside,” the lawsuit states.
Jammed up in court
The lawsuit against Trader Joe’s might not be Smucker’s last – grocery stores are replete with similar products and new versions are released every year.
Among the most recent comes from Nashville, Tenn.-based The Dropout Companies, which released its Jams brand frozen PB&J sandwiches in November. The product is now available at Target stores nationwide.
The company positions Jams as a healthy alternative to the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, noting in a press release that Jams contain no seed oils, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes.
“For too long, big corporations have sold out the well-being of American children for profit. That stops now,” said Connor Blakley, founder of The DropOut Companies. “PB&J built America’s lunchbox, but somewhere along the way, it got lost. JAMS brings it back – real, simple, done right. Partnering with Target helps us share that standard with families across the country.”
Similar to Trader Joe’s, the Jams frozen sandwich packaging features an image of a partially consumed frozen sandwich.
A competitor unthawed
It’s not only private-label brands and startup companies that are trying to beat Smuckers at their own game – Kraft Heinz launched its own PBJ pockets in 2025, but its Lunchables PB&J sandwiches are not meant for the freezer.
“No Thaw” the packaging claims, a key feature that aligns with Smucker’s new fridge-friendly strategy. Another differentiator is that the jelly comes in a dipping cup.
“The launch of Lunchables PB&J is a continuation in our mission to reinvent the refrigerated category by providing high quality, delicious, affordable and convenient solutions for snack time and beyond,” said Danni Levin, Lunchables’ associate director of innovation. “We’re remixing a classic, delivering on parents’ desire for convenience and kids’ love of dipping and customizing – PB&Js will never be the same!”
Kraft Heinz noted in a press release that the product’s launch “reinforces the brand’s commitment to making bigger, more intentional bets to fuel growth and create new experiences for consumers.”
