JURY DELIVERS VERDICT FINDING BUNDY BAKING SOLUTIONS AND SYNOVA MISAPPROPRIATED THE TRADE SECRETS OF MALLET AND COMPANY, A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF VANTAGE SPECIALTY CHEMICALS

/EIN News/ -- Deerfield, Illinois, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mallet and Company (“Mallet”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantage Specialty Chemicals (“Vantage”), has been awarded $7.25M in damages following a week-long federal jury trial in Western Pennsylvania.

The jury’s verdict found that Russell T/ Bundy Associates, Inc., d/b/a Bundy Baking Solutions, the leading manufacturer of commercial baking pans in North America, had misappropriated Mallet’s trade secrets in launching its release agent business in 2019 through its affiliate Synova, Inc. The jury also awarded punitive damages based on a finding that the misappropriation was “willful and malicious.” Mallet plans to pursue injunctive relief based on the jury findings, and all other appropriate additional relief from the court.  

“Vantage is a leader in food process aid technology with a long history of offering a best-in-class portfolio of release agents and custom-built processing equipment. We are pleased that the jury’s verdict reflects this,” said Jan Tinge, Executive Vice President, Vantage Food.  “The jury saw the wrongdoing in this case, as well as the resulting damage to our company, and took appropriate action. We feel the verdict sends a clear message that attempts to misappropriate an innovator's trade secrets should not, and will not, be tolerated.”

Mallet was acquired by Vantage in 2016, establishing the foundation for what is now the Vantage Food business. With complementary acquisitions of AMARNAKOTE^® water-based release agents in 2018 and Spanish oils company TEXTRON PLIMON in 2019, Vantage Food has evolved as an industry leader offering exceptional customer service and a comprehensive solutions offering of release agents, functional ingredients and equipment designed to meet the needs of commercial bakers and other food applications.

The lawsuit was held in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.  Mallet was represented by law firms Mayer Brown LLP and Jackson Lewis PC. The case is Mallet & Co v. Lacayo et al., case number 2:19-cv-01409.

About Vantage Food: Better Performance Made Possible

As one of the leaders in the food industry, Vantage Food provides exceptional service to our customers through comprehensive solutions offering of release agents, functional ingredients and equipment designed to meet the needs of various food applications. Vantage Food is a reliable supplier committed to quality and innovation and delivering top-notch solutions that help drive success supporting large-scale operations and small businesses alike. Vantage Food is a business unit of Vantage Specialty Chemicals. Learn more at: vantagefood.com or contact us for more information info.food@vantagegrp.com

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About Vantage

Vantage provides natural solutions that support our customers’ technical performance and marketing needs through a unique combination of chemistry, application expertise and service. Underpinned by a broad portfolio of formulations, ingredients and actives that are built on a backbone of sustainable oils, fats and their derivatives, Vantage targets selected markets and applications including personal care, food, surface treatment, agriculture, pharma, and consumer and industrial performance. Vantage is headquartered in Deerfield, IL, operates in 11 countries worldwide and employs more than 1,000 talented professionals focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences with every interaction. Learn more at vantagegrp.com

Louise Adhikari
                    Vantage Specialty Chemicals
                    +1 312 863 0798
                    louise.adhikari@vantagegrp.com