Minneapolis-based grocery retailer Rainbow Foods has turned the tables on Cub Foods’ accusation that the suggestion of a wrestling match to solve a corporate dispute “trivialises” its allegations, by stating that the match should be conducted for charity.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more


Rainbow president Tom Dahlen challenged his counterpart at Cub Foods, John H. Hooley, to a wrestling match, dubbed the “Rainbow Rumble”, after the latter company filed a lawsuit last Friday, alleging that Rainbow was receiving Cub’s special offer advertising information in advance.


Hooley failed to accept the challenge, and Cub’s attorney, B. Todd Jones of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, responded late on Monday saying that the proposal of a wrestling match to resolve the disagreement “trivialises what we believe are legitimate and serious allegations”.


Dahlen has now responded however stating that there is “nothing trivial” about donating money to charity, and has suggested that both companies should offer a US$50,000 pledge donated in the name of the winning company to Second Harvest Heartland, the local affiliate to America’s Second Harvest, the largest hunger-relief organisation in the US.


Rainbow has asked Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura to referee the match at a date convenient for all parties.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“I offered my phone number to Hooley and haven’t heard a response. We challenged Cub’s president to this match, not his lawyer,” Dahlen added: “Let the lawyers push their briefs around all they want in court. I’m asking a competitor to demonstrate humility for the sake of benefiting our community.


“This is a more productive way for our companies to resolve our disagreements.”