The famous “nooks and crannies” in Thomas’ brand English muffins — and the closely guarded manufacturing secrets used to make them — played a key role in a recent court battle over a top-level executive’s decision to switch jobs and a federal judge’s injunction that barred him from starting the new job.
In his 37-page opinion in Bimbo Bakeries USA Inc. v. Botticella, U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick granted a preliminary injunction, ruling that Chris Botticella, a former senior vice president at Bimbo, cannot start to work for Hostess Inc. because his extensive knowledge of Bimbo’s trade secrets makes it substantially likely, if not inevitable, that he would disclose Bimbo’s secrets to Hostess.
