Category: 2nd Circuit

  • Class Actions Claim “Truffle” Oil Contains Chemical Flavoring, Not Real Truffles

    Two putative class actions allege that Trader Joe’s “Black Truffle Flavored” olive oil and Monini’s “White Truffle Flavored” olive oil are flavored with synthetic chemicals rather than truffles. Brumfield v. Trader Joe’s, No. 17-­3239 (S.D.N.Y, filed May 2, 2017); Jessani v. Monini N. Am., No. 17-­3257 (S.D.N.Y., filed May 2, 2017). The plaintiffs argue that…

  • Second Circuit Upholds Milk Price-Fixing Settlement

    The Second Circuit has upheld the $50­ million settlement of an alleged milk price-­fixing conspiracy, holding that “[b]y their nature, settlements are compromises that do not provide either side with all that they might have hoped to obtain in litigation.” Haar v. Allen, No. 16­1944 (2d Cir., order entered April 18, 2017). The class action…

  • Plaintiffs Claim Wise Foods Underfilled Potato Chip Bags

    Wise Foods, Inc. is facing a projected class action claiming the company’s potato chip bags have more than double the amount of slack fill as its major competitors’ bags. Alce v. Wise Foods, Inc., No. 17­-2402 (S.D.N.Y., filed April 3, 2017). The plaintiffs claim that bags of 21 varieties of Wise’s Potato Chips, Kettle Cooked…

  • Court Grants Chipotle’s Motion to Decertify FLSA Class Action

    Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. won decertification of a class action comprising more than 500 management trainees in 37 states when a federal court ruled that there were too many differences in the trainees’ ability to perform managerial duties, causing the action to fail the predominance test. Scott v. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., No. 12-­8333, (S.D.N.Y.,…

  • High­-Tech Eatery Faces Projected Class Action Over Disability Access

    Eatsa, a fast-­food chain featuring high­-tech ordering and automated service, faces a putative class action alleging its restaurants are inaccessible to the blind. Am. Council for the Blind, v. Keenwawa, Inc., No. 17­-2096 (S.D.N.Y., filed March 23, 2017). Eatsa customers place orders through mobile apps or kiosks in the restaurants, then swipe a credit card…

  • Putative Class Action Filed After DNA Test Reportedly Finds Subway Chicken Sandwiches Are Half­-Soy

    A Connecticut plaintiff filed a projected class action against Subway after DNA testing of the chain’s chicken sandwiches allegedly showed the meat was only 42 to 53 percent chicken and the remainder was processed soy. Moskowitz v. Doctor’s Associates Inc., No. 17­-0387 (D. Conn., filed March 1, 2017). Researchers affiliated with the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s…

  • Shareholder Suit Against Chipotle Over Foodborne Illnesses Dismissed by New York Court

    A New York federal court has dismissed a putative class action against Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. alleging the burrito chain violated the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 by making material misrepresentations about the company’s response to food-borne illnesses linked to its stores. Ong v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., No. 16­0141 (S.D.N.Y., order entered March…

  • Wrongful Death Suit Filed Against Makers of Allegedly Contaminated Cheese

    The widow of a Vermont man who died after eating raw­milk cheese allegedly contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes has filed suit against the manufacturer of the cheese, Vulto Creamery. Friedman v. Vulto Creamery LLC, No. 17­-0283 (N.D.N.Y., filed March 10, 2017). Vulto issued a recall of its Ouleout, Miranda, Heinennellie and Willowemoc raw-­milk cheeses in March…