Distributors Sue Fiji Over Contract Dispute
by Martín Caballero, Dec. 19, 2019 at 5:13 pm
In a complaint filed in Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County on September 11, three distributors — North Carolina-based Carolina Beverage Corp. and Dixie Riverside and Alligator Beverage, both headquartered in Georgia — claim Fiji Water broke their respective contracts by forcing retailers in their sales territories to stop accepting product deliveries and making no attempt to negotiate terms to service those accounts
Ex-Employees File Lawsuits Against Bai
by Martín Caballero, Jul. 10, 2017 at 4:01 pm
Three former employees have sued the company and its recently departed founder and CEO, Ben Weiss, for allegedly cheating them out of the fair market value of their ownership stakes in the company ahead of its $1.7 billion sale to Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) last November.
Vita Coco Calls Drinks "Squid Free," Consumer to Pursue Legal Action
by Brad Avery, May. 11, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Vita Coco aimed to put a lighter note on a media blitz that occurred this week after several media outlets reported a New York woman had found a mysterious object in a carton of coconut water. In a press release issued today, the company stated that its beverages are "delicious, refreshing, safe and most definitely 'squid free.'"
In the Courtroom: Craft Root Beer Maker Battles Monster
by Martín Caballero, Apr. 4, 2017 at 3:35 pm
Craft root beer maker Thunder Beast faces a trademark infringement suit from Monster Energy, while Unique Beverage Company is hit with class action litigation over allegations its coconut flavored sparkling water is deceiving to consumers
PepsiCo Agrees to Change Naked Label in Settlement
by Brad Avery, Feb. 21, 2017 at 3:53 pm
As a result of a settlement with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group, PepsiCo agreed last week to make several changes in the labeling and marketing of its Naked juices and smoothies. In October CSPI alleged that the labelling of Naked products misled consumers about their nutritional value and ingredients.
In the Courtroom: Class Action Against Odwalla Can Move Ahead
In the courtroom this month: A class action against Odwalla can move ahead after a judge declined a request to toss the case, Pennsylvania's state Supreme Court declines to hear the "soda tax" case, and POM Wonderful accuses Wonder Fuel of "forum shopping" in trademark infringement allegations.
5-hour Energy Makers Ordered To Pay $4.3 Million in Deceptive Marketing Lawsuit
Living Essentials, maker of 5-hour Energy, and its venture capital arm Innovation Ventures were ordered to pay nearly $4.3 million in penalties and legal costs following a trial in Washington in which a judge found the company in violation of the state's Consumer Protection Act.
POM Sues Bai Over "Super Tea" Trademark
by Martín Caballero, Feb. 8, 2017 at 4:52 pm
A cursory search of U.S. trademark registration records indicates that both companies may indeed have reasonable arguments to present with regard to their ownership of the term.
Judge Approves $8.25 Million Settlement in GT's Kombucha and Whole Foods Suit
The decision formally resolves the complaint, which had undergone five amendments since it was originally filed in March 2015, at which point Millennium was named as the sole defendant.
In the Courtroom: Hint and Zico Face Class Actions
by Martín Caballero, Jan. 24, 2017 at 2:01 pm
A pair of class action lawsuits filed in California last week accuse two well-known beverage companies of making false and misleading claims on their packaging and in marketing materials.
Press Clips: Blue Diamond To Pay $9 Million in Settlement
by Brad Avery, Jan. 20, 2017 at 2:18 pm
Blue Diamond reported to be settling class action lawsuit for about $9 million, Justin Timberlake is set to star in Bai's upcoming Super Bowl commercial, and the FDA cracks down on alleged camel milk "miracle cure."
In the Courtroom: Health Watchdog Groups Sue Coke, Wonder Fuel Seeks Relief
by Martín Caballero, Jan. 9, 2017 at 3:58 pm
In a move that some experts have described as similar in strategy to the legal actions taken against the tobacco industry in the 1990s, a new lawsuit accuses Coke and CSD-friendly trade group American Beverage Association (ABA) of engaging in a 40-year "elaborate campaign of disinformation" to minimize the health risks associated with soft drink consumption.