Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: 10th Circuit

  • Federal Court Holds Noodles & Co. Has No Independent Duty of Care to Card Issuers For Data Breach

    A federal court has dismissed with prejudice a data-breach suit filed by a group of credit unions against Noodles & Co., holding that the restaurant had no independent duty of care to the unions distinct from its contractual agreements with MasterCard and Visa. SELCO Cmty. Credit Union v. Noodles & Co., No. 16-2247 (D. Colo.,…

  • Court Dismisses Shareholder Suit Against Chipotle

    A Colorado federal court has dismissed a shareholder derivative action against Chipotle alleging the company’s officers and directors of food­-safety oversight failed to take action to prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness. Gubricky v. Ells, No. 16­-2011 (D. Colo., order entered June 7, 2017). The plaintiff claimed the defendants had failed to implement and enforce effective…

  • Torchy’s Tacos Sues Competitor for Infringement of “Damn Good Tacos”

    Texas chain Torchy’s Tacos, which uses the tagline “Damn Good Tacos” in its restaurants and merchandising, has filed suit against Colorado restaurant Dam Good Tacos for trademark infringement, claiming consumer confusion. Success Foods Mgmt. Group, LLC v. Dam Good Systems, LLC, No. 17­0842 (D. Colo., filed April 5, 2017). Asserting that it registered the “Damn…

  • Class Action Plaintiffs Claim Canada Dry Ginger Ale Contains No Ginger

    Three plaintiffs have filed a putative class action against Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., claiming that although the label on the company’s Canada Dry Ginger Ale product says “Made With Real Ginger,” the product contains “no detectable amount of ginger.” Hashemi v. Dr. Pepper Snapple Grp., Inc., No. 17­-2042 (C.D. Cal., filed March 14, 2017).…

  • Monsanto Reaches Agreement in Principle over GM Wheat Contamination

    In light of representations that the parties are close to settlement, a multidistrict litigation (MDL) court has continued to stay proceedings in litigation alleging that the isolated appearance of genetically modified (GM) wheat in Oregon, which purportedly led Japan and South Korea to suspend imports of soft-white wheat from the United States, caused wheat farmers…

  • Settlement Approval Requested in Chipotle Illegal Immigrant Case

    Chipotle Mexican Grill investors have filed a motion for final approval of a derivative-action settlement in a lawsuit accusing the restaurant chain’s executives of breaching fiduciary duties by failing to comply with employee work authorization requirements. Mohammed v. Ells, No. 12-1831 (D. Colo., motion filed July 31, 2014). The case stems from a U.S. Immigration…

  • GM Wheat Litigation to Enter Mediation

    Wheat farmers who sued Monsanto Co. over losses they allegedly sustained after genetically modified (GM) wheat was discovered in an Oregon farmer’s field have reportedly decided to attempt to mediate the dispute. In re Monsanto Co. GE Wheat Litig., MDL No. 2473 (D. Kan.). Details about the consolidation of a number of related cases before…

  • Consumer Diacetyl Award Finalized by Settlement

    According to a news source, the plaintiffs and defendants in litigation over a respiratory condition allegedly caused by the daily consumption of microwave popcorn containing the butter-flavoring compound diacetyl have settled the claims following a court’s reduction of the jury’s $7-million verdict to $5.78 million, including fees and costs. Watson v. Dillon Cos., Inc., No.…