In the January edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and regulations affecting the food, beverage, agribusiness, and cosmetics industries, a consumer wants her 2 ounces, a Slack-Fill Slayer has...more
A Florida woman has filed a putative class action against Kraft Heinz Foods Co. alleging the company misleads consumers as to the cook time of its Velveeta-brand microwavable macaroni and cheese product. Ramirez v. Kraft...more
In a recent opinion out of the Southern District of New York, Judge William H. Pauley III certified three classes of plaintiffs in New York, California, and Florida who allege that KIND LLC, the manufacturer of KIND Bars,...more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Food & Beverage Digest, our roundup of court cases and regulations affecting the food, beverage, agribusiness, and cosmetics industries. This month, the Ninth Circuit gets krabby,...more
Judge Raag Singhal of the Southern District of Florida recently granted Burger King’s motion to dismiss a putative class action challenging its advertising for its plant-based “Impossible Burger,” and its motion to deny class...more
FDA Warning Letters Provide Opportunity for Food-Safety Reminders During Viral and Bacterial Outbreaks - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent warning letters to Jimmy John’s Franchise, LLC and its supplier...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - FDA Releases Guidance on Intentional Adulteration - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the third and final installment of its draft guidance on intentional...more
Malic Acid: Newest Culprit in “Natural” Marketing Case Trend - Hilsley v. Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., No. 17-cv-2335, 2018 WL 6245894 (S.D. Cal. Nov. 29, 2018) - The Skinny: Malic acid is a common food ingredient...more
The saying goes, knowledge equals power. For plaintiffs asserting claims for injunctive relief on behalf of putative classes, however, the Mott’s Apple Juice case demonstrates just the opposite....more
Food for Thought is a review of significant court decisions affecting the food, beverage, dietary supplements and personal care products industry. Although many cases in this edition focus on class certification, others...more
On January 3, 2017, the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s decision to grant class certification, finding that, at the class certification stage, Rule 23 does not require plaintiffs to demonstrate that there is an...more
Last month, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals revered (in part) a lower court decision finding that Dole’s “all natural” labeling was not deceptive to consumers – reviving a four-year-old litigation, Brazil v. Dole Packaged...more
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed in part and affirmed in part a Northern District of California ruling concerning the “All Natural Fruit” labeling on Dole’s packaged fruit products. Brazil v. Dole Packaged...more
The summer of 2016 saw continued trends in class action filings. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) cases continued to be rampant, with multiple cases being filed daily on a national scale. Most were generally directed...more
On September 30, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed in part a district court decision granting summary judgment to Dole Packaged Foods, LLC (“Dole”), finding that a reasonable fact finder could conclude that Dole’s...more
In Brazil v. Dole, No. 14-17480 (9th Cir. Sept. 30, 2016), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part three different orders issued by the U.S. District Court for the...more
Plaintiff Nicolas Torrent filed a putative class action alleging yogurt drink manufacturer, Yakult U.S.A., Inc.’s marketing and advertising claims concerning digestive health benefits were false and deceptive. Plaintiff...more
The flurry of food mislabeling class actions filed in California federal courts has recently come to a halt under the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Comcast v. Beherend. Comcast requires that putative class action plaintiffs...more
THIS NEWSLETTER AIMS to keep those in the food industry up to speed on developments in food labeling and nutritional content litigation. RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS - District Court Dismisses and Stays False...more
In This Issue: - RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS ..D.C. Circuit Affirms FTC’s False Advertising Ruling Against POM Wonderful ..Muffin Mix Class Action Survives Dismissal ..Federal Court Denies...more
The Third Circuit Circuit’s recent decision in Carrera v. Bayer Corporation, No. 12-2621 (3d Cir. Aug. 21, 2013), could have a significant impact on false advertising class actions involving the purchase of consumer products...more