Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Tag: butter

  • Proposed Class Action Filed Over Butter and Corn Syrup Labeling

    A consumer has filed a lawsuit alleging Schwan’s Co. falsely advertises Mrs. Smith’s Original Flaky Crust Pies as made with “real butter” despite allegedly containing a vegetable and butter shortening blend. Leguette v. Schwan’s Co., No. 17-7599 (E.D.N.Y., filed December 31, 2017). The plaintiff alleges that she bought a Mrs. Smith’s apple pie because the…

  • “Real Butter” in Simply Potatoes Contains GMO Margarine, Plaintiff Alleges

    A putative class action filed in New York has alleged that although the marketing for Simply Potatoes Mashed Potatoes features claims such as “Made with REAL Butter,” the product contains margarine made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Berger v. MFI Holdings Corp., 17-6728 (E.D.N.Y., filed November 17, 2017). “Despite the centrality of butter to [the…

  • Kerrygold Butter and Wisconsin Dairy Settle Trademark Dispute

    A Wisconsin creamery selling “Irishgold” butter and the distributor of Kerrygold butter have agreed to a consent decree that will end a trademark dispute. Ornua Foods N. Am. v. Eurogold USA, No. 17-0510 (E.D. Wis., motion filed July 25, 2017). After Wisconsin began enforcing a 1950s law requiring all butter sold in the state to…

  • Wisconsin Butter Ban Violates Constitutional Rights, Lawsuit Alleges

    An Ohio company has filed a lawsuit alleging Wisconsin’s ban on sales of ungraded butter violates the Commerce Clause, due process, equal protection and free speech. Minerva Dairy, Inc. v. Brancel, No. 17­299 (W.D. Wis., filed April 20, 2017). In early 2017, Wisconsin began enforcing a 1954 law requiring all butter sold in the state…

  • Kerrygold Files Trademark Suit Against Wisconsin Maker of Irishgold Butter

    The Irish distributor of Kerrygold butter won an emergency restraining order against a Wisconsin creamery after alleging the creamery backed out of an agreement to process Kerrygold locally and later created its own nearly identical product, “Irishgold,” infringing Kerrygold’s trademark. Ornua Foods N. Am., Inc. v. Eurogold USA LLC, No. 17­0510 (E.D. Wis., filed April…

  • Dunkin’ Donuts Franchises Settle Fake Butter Suits

    Twenty-­three Dunkin’ Donuts franchise locations in Massachusetts have reached a tentative settlement with a plaintiff who claimed the stores served him “margarine or a butter substitute” on his bagels despite his request for butter. Polanik v. Boston Hill Donuts, LLC, No. 17-84­914 (Suffolk Cty. Superior Ct., settlement agreement filed March 24, 2017); Polanik v. CM&R…

  • New Meta-Analysis Targets Health Effects of Butter Consumption

    A meta-analysis examining the effect of dairy fats on health has identified “a small positive association between butter consumption and all-cause mortality, no significant association with incident CVD [cardiovascular disease] or CVD subtypes, and a modest inverse association with type 2 diabetes.” Laura Pimpin, et al., “Is Butter Back? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of…

  • Czech Dairy Spread Is Not “Butter,” EU Court Says

    The General Court of the European Union has upheld a ruling that pomazánkové máslo, a product primarily marketed in the Czech Republic, cannot be labeled as “butter” under the single common market organization (CMO) regulation. Czech Republic v. European Commission, No. T-51/14 (Gen. Ct., order entered May 12, 2015). The product, a spread used in…