Jeff Beach, Ag Week; Pizza dough trade secrets case pits Schwan's against Conagra
"Court documents state that “Schwan’s alleges that from the time Cai accepted the job at Conagra until he was escorted from Schwan’s property, he accessed files containing Schwan’s confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets on several projects related to grain, pizza crust, and encapsulated sugar, among other projects.”
Schwan’s also says Cai took devices and notebooks with research information.
Nine days after Schwan’s fired him, Cai filed two United States patent applications: “Method of Making Frozen Dough and Products Made Using the Method” and “Microwaveable Frozen Breads and Method of Making the Same.” He also filed for a patent in China on the first patent.
Beginning from his hiring in 2003, Cai had signed agreements saying his Schwan’s work would be confidential and could not use that information to help another company or use it to get another job. It also specified that any patents from his work at Schwan’s would belong to the company."
