Jaden Smith Sues Vegan Startup Over Packaging

Jaden Smith, son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith and co-founder of start-up water company Just Water, is suing Hampton Creek Inc. over trademark issues, Bloomberg writes. Just Goods Inc., which sells the water in recyclable cartons, alleges that Hampton Creek violated an agreement the two companies had signed over logos and marketing.

Bloomberg reports that after encountering marketing difficulties, Hampton Creek — well-known for their vegan mayonnaise, Just Mayo — changed its website and product packaging to emphasize the word "just." On July 30, Just Goods filed a complaint in the California state court in San Francisco alleging that the brand revision had violated a preexisting contract signed by Hampton Creek CEO Joshua Tetrick, which said the company must adhere to a previous design with a smaller cursive font unless granted permission to do otherwise by Just Goods.
 

Smith, 19, himself an actor and rapper, created Just Water in 2012 with former record label executive Drew Fitzgerald. The packaging is made of certified paper, plant-based plastic, traditional plastic, and aluminum.

Smith's water brand may be relatively eco-friendly, but there are still plenty of reasons to not drink bottled water.