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Caraway turns big cookware lawsuit over PFAS claims into a marketing message
Groupe SEB and Meyer sued cookware startup Caraway in February, accusing it of false and misleading advertising. Caraway has since leaned into the litigation, telling shoppers it was "sued by big cookware."
The suit was filed in February by Groupe SEB and Meyer, two of the largest companies in the cookware market, according to the company. Both are conglomerates whose portfolios include brands many home cooks already own: Groupe SEB counts T-fal and All-Clad among its labels, while Meyer's include KitchenAid and Rachael Ray cookware.
The dispute centers on how Caraway describes PFAS in its marketing. The chemicals have drawn growing attention from consumers and state regulators. The Environmental Protection Agency describes PFAS as widely used, long-lasting chemicals whose components break down very slowly over time, a catch-all term for a class of man-made chemicals used across industrial products for decades.
Caraway's response has been promotional rather than quiet. The startup has continued to tell customers in its marketing materials that it has been "sued by big cookware," turning the litigation into a recurring theme in its messaging.
Chief executive and founder Jordan Nathan has set an annual rallying goal for his team, and this year's was to make Caraway "impossible to ignore." That push included the company's first large out-of-home advertising campaign.
Nathan has said the year unfolded in a way he did not anticipate when it began, with the lawsuit arriving alongside the brand-awareness efforts.