In April of 2025, a Pittsburgh jury returned a $7.25 million verdict in favor of Vantage Specialty Chemicals and its subsidiary Mallet and Company. The case involved a multiyear-long trade secret dispute with Bundy Baking and its Synova division over Bundy\u2019s alleged misappropriation of Mallet formulas for release agent products.<\/p>\n
That jury verdict was followed by a December 31, 2025, ruling that granted Mallet\u2019s motion for sanctions and attorneys\u2019 fees, as well as an injunction preventing Synova from selling its best-selling product, Supra 130, or any other product derived from Mallet intellectual property.<\/p>\n
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Jury Found for Mallet and Company on All Counts<\/strong><\/p>\n In the April trial, a federal jury in Pittsburgh found that Bundy Baking misappropriated 11 trade secrets, particularly Mallet\u2019s product formulas, to launch the Synova business. The jury awarded punitive damages based on a finding that the misappropriation was \u201cwillful and malicious.\u201d It awarded $4.25 million in compensatory and $3 million in punitive damages.<\/p>\n December Ruling Emphasized Bundy\u2019s \u201cWillful and Malicious\u201d Theft<\/strong><\/p>\n In her December ruling, the trial judge ruled that Bundy\/Synova should face sanctions for disclosing Mallet\u2019s trade secrets in a post-trial filing. The trial judge granted Mallet\u2019s motion for an injunction to stop Bundy\/Synova from making and selling any product derived from Mallet trade secrets\u2014and specifically Synova\u2019s Supra 130 product and any product with the substantially similar formula. The ruling also denied the Bundy\u2019s motion for a new trial.<\/p>\n Adding to the original $7.25 million jury verdict against Bundy, the judge awarded Mallet and Company more than $11 million in attorneys\u2019 fees and costs, and $617,000 in prejudgment interest, bringing the current total amount Bundy Baking must pay to $19,265,409 plus post-judgment interest. There will be additional fees and costs to come as the court considers sanctions against Bundy and its legal team.<\/p>\n Release agents are substances applied to baking surfaces to prevent dough or batter from sticking, ensuring that baked goods can be removed without tearing or deformation.<\/p>\n With the jury having ruled in Mallet\u2019s favor, Mallet filed for\u00a0injunctive relief\u00a0<\/a>on April 21, 2025 to prevent Bundy Baking Solutions and Synova from using the Mallet trade secrets the jury found they misappropriated. Mallet\u2019s\u00a0Motion for a Permanent Injunction\u00a0also seeks other relief based upon the jury\u2019s verdict, designed to ensure Mallet\u2019s non-disclosure and other agreements with its employees are respected by Bundy Baking Solutions and Synova going forward.<\/p>\n Mallet and Vantage have, and continue to be, leaders in food processing aid technology, including release agents. After several years of litigation, the company looks forward to the eventual resolution of this matter, as it continues to provide its valued customers with market-leading release agent solutions.<\/p>\n Read Vantage Press Release<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n In response to Mallet\u2019s Motion for Permanent Injunction, Bundy\/Synova filed an opposing brief with an affidavit that Mallet and Company claims included a portion of the very trade secrets the jury in the litigation decided were misappropriated from Mallet and Company. Mallet\u2019s attorneys alleged the Bundy defendants put confidential trade secret information on the public docket despite a Court Order not to do so. In a letter motion to the Court, Mallet\u2019s attorneys urged that the information under seal be removed from the public docket. Mallet\u2019s attorneys also moved for sanctions.<\/p>\n Bundy\u2019s attorneys then asked the Court to strike Mallet\u2019s motion for procedural reasons. In response, the Judge in the case issued the following order:<\/p>\n U.S. District Court<\/strong> Notice of Electronic FilingIn response to inquiries from customers and other interested parties, Mallet and Company (Mallet), a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantage Specialty Chemicals, Inc., (Vantage) provides the following information and court filings regarding an April 11, 2025\u00a0jury verdict<\/a>\u00a0which found that Bundy Baking Solutions and its affiliate, Synova, misappropriated the trade secrets of Mallet and Company. This included trade secrets related to Mallet\u2019s release agent products. The jury also found in favor of Mallet on several other claims.<\/h4>\n
Latest Update<\/h3>\n
\nWestern District of Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThe following transaction was entered on 4\/30\/2025 at 8:12 PM EDT and filed on 4\/30\/2025<\/p>\n