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Brooklyn Water Bagel's 'Brooklynized' Water a Fraud, Lawsuit Says

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on March 14, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Some attribute the superiority of the New York bagel to the production process. Others credit the city's water. Whatever the truth, one Palm Beach company is being accused of taking the debate one step too far.

Andrew Greenbaum is suing The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., claiming it fraudulently led him to believe it owned a unique patented process that can "Brooklynize" water. If he had known it was a lie, he would have never bought the rights to develop bagel franchises in two counties.

Broklyn Water Bagel boasts a 14-step “proprietary water treatment” system that allegedly recreates the water found in Brooklyn businesses and homes, explains the Sun-Sentinel. With “Brooklynized” water on hand, franchises across the country can produce New York bagels.

Greenbaum claims the water filtration system isn’t even unique. And even if it is, the paper reports that there are some doubts about whether the company even owns the patent. A separate lawsuit suggests that it belongs to the system’s manufacturer.

As with all lawsuits, Greenbaum needs to prove his accusations are true. To do so, he and his lawyer have contacted experts who can test both Brooklyn and “Brooklynized” water. If the chemical compositions don’t match, he will be on his way to winning the lawsuit.

However, a judge is likely to remain skeptical about the accusations. Yes, The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. claimed that it was able to “Brooklynize” water. However, common sense dictates that the assertion is mere puffery. Can filtration systems ever dictate water’s exact mineral makeup?

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