The “black water” linked to The Real Housewives of New Jersey was blk., a bottled beverage described in litigation-era materials as water infused with fulvic and humic acid. The Manzo-Laurita family helped commercialize and promote it, but the product’s origins became the subject of competing claims. Available sources do not establish who originated it, how the lawsuit ended, or whether the business is operating today.
What was the Manzo family’s black water company?
BLK Brands marketed the beverage as blk. The product was presented as dark-colored water infused with fulvic and humic acid. The name “BLACKWATER” also appears in the legal dispute, but it was used by Creative Thinkers and its affiliate, not as the later public brand name described in the retrospective account.
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The Manzo-Laurita family connection was commercial and promotional. A litigation-era account named Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, and Chris Laurita among BLK Brands’ owners, while later reporting says the drink received exposure on RHONJ, including during its third season. That visibility does not establish that the family invented the beverage.
Why did the drink’s origins become disputed?
Creative Thinkers and the Wilkie sisters gave different accounts of how the beverage came about. The claims appeared in litigation-related materials and later reporting; they should not be treated as court findings.
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| Issue | Creative Thinkers’ account | Wilkie sisters’ account | What the available sources establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| When the idea began | The plaintiffs said they developed the concept in 2009. | The sisters’ account, described in a later retrospective, says they developed the beverage in 2008 after their mother became ill. | These are conflicting accounts; the available sources do not resolve which is correct. |
| The sisters’ role | Creative Thinkers said it made an agreement with the Wilkies to bottle the product and shared confidential information. | The sisters’ earlier-development account presents them as developing the beverage themselves. | The sources do not establish a final finding on the parties’ competing claims. |
| Family’s involvement | The plaintiffs alleged that the Manzo-Laurita family and the Wilkies took the BLACKWATER specialty concept. | The retrospective reports the family encountered the sisters and beverage at a 2010 New York Fancy Food Show, after which the product was commercialized as blk. | The materials describe allegations and reported events, not proof that the family originated or misappropriated the idea. |
What happened in the lawsuit?
In July 2011, according to the later retrospective, Creative Thinkers sent BLK a cease-and-desist letter, and BLK had filed an earlier action seeking trademark relief. On December 15, 2011, the law firm Pillsbury announced that Creative Thinkers and Blackwater Innovations had sued BLK Brands and named Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, Chris Laurita, Jacqueline Wilkie, and Louise Wilkie. The announcement described allegations including theft of concept, trademark misappropriation, and breach of contract, and said BLK had filed a counterclaim.
That announcement came from counsel for the plaintiffs, not from a court. It records what one side alleged and says a counterclaim existed; it does not prove that the allegations were true. The 2026 retrospective says it could not locate a public ruling, settlement, or dismissal in the Creative Thinkers dispute. That does not establish that no resolution exists; it means the reviewed sources do not show one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the lawsuit prove the Manzos stole the idea?
No such conclusion is established by the available materials. The December 2011 announcement reports the plaintiffs’ allegations, while the later account reports a conflicting origin story. Without a verified final court disposition, neither account should be presented as an adjudicated finding.
Did blk. continue after the dispute?
A retrospective published June 25, 2026, reports that the brand continued after the dispute arose and announced a brand extension in 2013. It also points to an Amazon store and notes that some products were unavailable on major retail platforms. Those details show reported later activity, not proof of present operations, ownership, or a product currently being in stock.
New Jersey’s Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services explains how to search business entities and obtain status reports and filed records, but no BLK-specific report is established here. USPTO TTABVUE shows later trademark proceedings involving BLK Brands, including an opposition filed in 2021 and another proceeding dated 2026. Trademark proceedings do not determine the outcome of the 2011 dispute or confirm that the company is currently operating.
What can be said about the company today?
Current ownership, corporate standing, and operating status remain unverified in the sources available for this account. It would be premature to say the Manzos still own BLK Brands, that the company closed, or that the 2011 dispute ended in a particular way. A current state business report or a verified final court docket entry would be needed to establish those points.
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