Metro

Jane rips ‘cheeta’

Don’t monkey with Jane Goodall.

The legendary simian savior filed a federal suit against an organic baby-food company claiming it failed to pay up when she agreed to market a vegetarian product called Janey Baby.

Goodall’s nonprofit institute claims it is owed $720,000 from the firm, Sprout Foods, which was co-founded by the Food Network’s Tyler Florence.

The Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation derives a significant amount of money by licensing the name of the world-famous animal-rights pioneer, according to the suit filed in Manhattan federal court.

Institute officials decided last year that Sprout Foods was an appropriate firm to receive a license to use the “famous and highly regarded names and trademarks of Jane Goodall” for a new food product, the suit said.

The baby food, Janey Baby by Jane Goodall, was created for tots ages six months to two years.

After signing a 28-month deal with Sprout CEO Max MacKenzie last August, the institute promoted the baby food and Goodall herself visited Sprout’s “organic supplier farm” in Oregon last October to gain publicity, the lawsuit alleged.

Sprout was aiming for $5.5 million in sales of Janey Baby in 2011 and $6 million in 2012, which would mean royalties to the institute of over $850,000.

But despite the ambitious plans, Sprout never marketed the product, the suit said — and never made the first $90,000 payment.

When the institute called to complain about the breach of contract, it was told MacKenzie hadn’t been authorized to negotiate it.

Sprout failed to make subsequent quarterly payments required by the contract. The institute canceled the deal on July 25, the suit said.

Sprout said it would “defend itself vigorously” in the lawsuit and noted that the contract was made by the firm’s “former” CEO.

But it added that the firm “has begun discussions with the institute concerning a revised relationship that would be of substantial benefit to both parties.”

Efforts to reach Florence, who has starred in numerous Food Network programs and opened his own restaurants, were unsuccessful.

The attorney for the institute, Eleanor Lackman, declined comment.

Additional reporting by Doug Auer

jamie.schram@nypost.com