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`GOOD GUSTAFSON AUMAIS LLP
`Christopher T. Aumais (Cal. Bar No. 249901)
`2330 Westwood Blvd., No. 103
`Los Angeles, CA 90064
`Tel: (310) 274-4663
`cta@ggallp.com
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`THE KEETON FIRM LLC
`Steffan T. Keeton, Esq.*
`100 S Commons, Ste 102
`Pittsburgh PA 15212
`Tel: (888) 412-5291
`stkeeton@keetonfirm.com
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`*Pro hac vice forthcoming
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`Counsel for Plaintiff and the Proposed Class
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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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`CASE NO.
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
`Demand for Jury Trial
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`Marcia Campbell, individually, and on
`behalf of those similarly situated,
`Plaintiff,
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`v.
`Arizona Beverages USA LLC and
`Hornell Brewing Co., Inc.,
`Defendants.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 2 of 45
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`Plaintiff Marcia Campbell brings this action on behalf of herself and all others
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`similarly situated against Defendants Arizona Beverages USA LLC and Hornell
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`Brewing Co., Inc. (collectively “Arizona” or “Defendants”). Plaintiff makes the
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`following allegations pursuant to the investigation of counsel and based upon
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`information and belief, except as to the allegations specifically pertaining to herself,
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`which are based on personal knowledge.
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`NATURE OF THE ACTION
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`1.
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`This case arises from Defendants’ deceptive and misleading practices
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`with respect to its marketing and sale of their fruit snack products (the “Products”).1
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`2.
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`Defendants manufacture, sell, and distribute the Products using a
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`marketing and advertising campaign focused on claims that appeal to health-
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`conscious consumers – specifically the importance of real fruit and its presence in the
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`Products.
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`3.
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`Defendants engage in a deceptive marketing campaign to convince
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`consumers that the Products contain significant amounts of the actual fruits shown
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`in the marketing2 and on the labeling3 of the Products, they are nutritious and
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`healthful to consume, and are more healthful than similar products.
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`1 At the time of this filing, the following Arizona products are included in this
`definition: Arnold Palmer Half & Half Fruit Snacks and Green Tea Fruit Snacks.
`This definition is not exhaustive, and shall include all of Defendants’ products that
`are similarly deceptively marketed.
`2 Variants of the words “marketing,” and “market” refer to all forms of advertising in
`all forms of media, including but not limited to print advertisements, television, and
`radio commercials, Products’ labels, viral marketing, incentives, and websites.
`3 The term “labeling” encompasses other descriptive terms, including various forms of
`the words: labels, labeling, packages, and packaging.
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`– 1 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 3 of 45
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`4.
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`Notably, the Products’ name – “Fruit Snacks” – combined with
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`packaging that displays images of fresh fruit and prominently states, “MADE WITH
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`REAL FRUIT” and “FRUIT IS OUR FIRST INGREDIENT” establishes this belief
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`with reasonable consumers:
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`– 2 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 4 of 45
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`5.
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`The deception lies in the fact that the Products are devoid of real fruit.
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`Rather than containing real fruit, the Products are packed with sugar. Defendants’
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`Products contain sugar levels comparable to candy and none of the vibrantly depicted
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`fruits.
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`6.
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`Thus, although Defendants market the Products as containing real fruit
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`while being healthful and nutritious, they are devoid of the health benefits
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`reasonable consumers associate with consuming real fruit.
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`7.
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`Reasonable consumers purchased the Products believing, among other
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`things, that they were accurately represented. Specifically, reasonable consumers
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`believed that the Products were healthful and contained a significant amount of real
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`fruit. Reasonable consumers would not have purchased the Products if they had
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`known about the misrepresentations and omissions, or would have purchased them
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`on different terms.
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`Defendants violated the trust of Plaintiff and Class Members because
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`8.
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`the Products are not the fruit-packed snack that Defendants’ marketing and labeling
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`represents.
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`9.
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`Relying on Defendants’ representations, consumers that seek healthier
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`alternatives than mere candy only later realize that their purchase of Defendants’
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`Products was a fruitless endeavor.
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`10. Plaintiff brings this action individually and on behalf of those similarly
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`situated and seek to represent a National Class and a California Class. Plaintiff
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`seeks damages, interest thereon, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, restitution,
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`other equitable relief, and disgorgement of all benefits that Defendants have enjoyed
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`from their deceptive business practices, as detailed herein. In addition, Plaintiff seeks
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`– 3 –
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 5 of 45
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`injunctive relief to stop Defendants’ deceptive conduct in the labeling and marketing
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`of the Products.
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`JURISDICTION AND VENUE
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`11. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendants. Defendants
`purposefully avail themselves of the California consumer market and distribute the
`Products to many locations within this District and hundreds of retail locations
`throughout the State of California, where the Products are purchased by thousands of
`consumers every day.
`12. This Court has original subject-matter jurisdiction over this proposed
`class action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d), which, under the provisions of the Class
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`Action Fairness Act (“CAFA”), explicitly provides for the original jurisdiction of the
`federal courts in any class action in which at least 100 members are in the proposed
`plaintiff class, any member of the plaintiff class is a citizen of a State different from
`any defendant, and the matter in controversy exceeds the sum of $5,000,000.00,
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`exclusive of interest and costs. Plaintiff alleges that the total claims of individual
`members of the proposed Class (as defined herein) are well in excess of $5,000,000.00
`in the aggregate, exclusive of interest and costs.
`13. Venue is proper in this District under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(a). Plaintiff’s
`purchases of Defendants’ Products, substantial acts in furtherance of the alleged
`improper conduct, including the dissemination of false and misleading information
`regarding the nature, quality, and/or ingredients of the Products, occurred within this
`District and the Defendants conduct business in this District.
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`DIVISIONAL ASSIGNMENT
`14. Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 3-2(c-d), a substantial part of the events
`giving rise to the claims arose in Humboldt County, and this action should be
`assigned to the Eureka Division.
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`– 4 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 6 of 45
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`PARTIES
`15. Plaintiff Marcia Campbell is a citizen of California.
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`a. Prior to her purchase, Ms. Campbell saw and relied on Defendants’
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`marketing and labeling representing that the Products contained real
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`fruit, in significant amounts, and included the named and depicted
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`fruits.
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`b. Ms. Campbell wished to purchase the fruit snacks for personal
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`consumption. When Ms. Campbell saw Defendants’ misrepresentations
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`prior to and at the time of purchase, she relied on Defendants’
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`prominent representations and claims about the Products. Specifically,
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`that it contained significant amounts of the actual fruit that Defendants
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`emphasized in the marketing and on the labeling of the Product.
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`c. Ms. Campbell relied on the Defendants’ representations, including but
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`not limited to, that the Products are “MADE WITH REAL FRUIT” and
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`“FRUIT IS OUR FIRST INGREDIENT” as well as the fruit imagery that
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`surrounds the entire packaging.
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`d. Ms. Campbell understood these representations to mean that real fruit
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`was the primary ingredient in the Products. Had Ms. Campbell known
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`the truth – that the Products did not contain any real fruit – Ms.
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`Campbell would not have purchased the Products at a premium price. If
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`Defendants started including real fruit as the primary ingredient, or the
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`Products were no longer deceptively labeled, Ms. Campbell would
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`purchase the Products again in the future. Ms. Campbell brings the
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`– 5 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 7 of 45
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`claims below seeking damages, actual and statutory, as well as
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`injunctive relief.
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`e. Ms. Campbell has purchased the Products on multiple occasions. Ms.
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`Campbell’s most recent purchase of the Products occurred in November
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`2021, when she purchased the Arizona Green Tea Fruit Snacks and
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`Arnold Palmer Half & Half Fruit Snacks at a price of approximately
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`$2.50 per bag from Eureka Natural Foods and Winco located in Eureka,
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`CA.
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`16. Defendant Arizona Beverages USA LLC is a New York company with its
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`principal place of business in Woodbury, NY.
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`17. Defendant Hornell Brewing, Co., Inc. is a New York corporation with its
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`principal place of business in Woodbury, NY.
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`a. Defendant Hornell Brewing owns Defendant Arizona Beverages USA.
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`b. The marketing and labeling for the Products that Plaintiff and Class
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`Members relied upon in making their decisions to purchase the Products
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`was conceived, designed, prepared and/or approved by the Defendants
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`and was disseminated by Defendants and their agents through labeling,
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`marketing, and advertising containing the misrepresentations from
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`their New York headquarters.
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`c. In committing the wrongful acts alleged herein, Defendants, in
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`connection with their subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other related
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`entities and their employees, planned, participated in and furthered a
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`common scheme to induce members of the public to purchase the
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`Products by means of false, misleading, deceptive and fraudulent
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`– 6 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 8 of 45
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`representations, and Defendants participated in the making of such
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`representations in that they disseminated those misrepresentations or
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`caused them to be disseminated.
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`18. Plaintiff reserves the right to amend this Complaint to add different or
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`additional defendants, including without limitation any officer, director, employee,
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`supplier, or distributor of Defendants who have knowingly and willfully aided,
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`abetted, or conspired in the false and deceptive conduct alleged herein.
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`SUBSTANTIVE ALLEGATIONS
`A. Defendants deceive consumers by misrepresenting that the
`Products contain real fruit in significant amounts.
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`19. Consumers increasingly and consciously seek out healthy foods and
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`snacks— placing value on healthy fruit snacks that contain less added sugar.
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`Consumers seek these types of snacks for various reasons, including perceived
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`benefits of avoiding disease, and attaining health and wellness for themselves and
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`their children and families.4
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`20.
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`In addition, scientific data shows that it is difficult to meet nutrient
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`needs while staying within calorie requirements if you consume more than 10 percent
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`of your daily calories from added sugar. Consumers seek healthier options by seeking
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`to purchase snack products with less sugar. And scientific evidence indicates that
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`excess sugar contributes to numerous chronic health problems such as heart disease
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`and type 2 diabetes.5
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`4 See, e.g., Fruit Snacks Sales Rise by 162% Amid COVID-19 Pandemic (April 29,
`2020) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fruit-snacks-sales-rise-by-162-
`amid-covid-19-pandemic-301049556.html.
`5 American Heart Ass’n, Understanding Childhood Obesity, available at
`http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-
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`public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_428180.pdf.
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`– 7 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 9 of 45
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`21. As a result, consumers are willing to pay, and have paid, a premium for
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`products that contain significant amounts of real fruit over products that do not
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`contain significant amounts of real fruit.6
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`22. Companies such as the Defendants capitalize on the consumer’s demand
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`for real fruit and generate increased unit sales, revenue, and profit by making real
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`fruit representations.
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`23. Further, consumers rely on label representations and information in
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`making purchasing decisions.
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`24. Knowing this, Defendants prominently feature real fruit statements and
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`images throughout its packaging.
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`25. Notably, the Product’s principal display panel displays images of fresh
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`fruit while the packaging prominently states, “MADE WITH REAL FRUIT.”
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`6 Mondelez International, Fruitful Business: Fruit and Veggie Snack Trend Grows
`Stronger, https://www.letschatsnacks.com/fruitfulbusiness (“Nielsen reveals that the
`snackable fruit and vegetable category is ripe with revenue, generating sales of $16.3
`billion in the year ended May 27, 2017”).
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`– 8 –
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 10 of 45
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`26. The back of the Products additionally state, “MADE with REAL FRUIT”
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`and “FRUIT IS OUR FIRST INGREDIENT.”
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`27. Additionally, the Products’ names are “Fruit Snacks.”
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`28. This leads consumers to believe that the Products contain a significant
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`amount of real fruit.
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`29. Further, the representation “FRUIT IS OUR FIRST INGREDIENT” on
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`the packaging leads reasonable consumers to believe that there are significant
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`amounts of real fruit in the Products.
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`30. The FDA mandates that ingredients must be presented in a descending
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`order of predominance.
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`31. By prominently claiming that fruit is the first ingredient – when it is
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`not- Defendants convey to consumers that real fruit is the primary ingredient.
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`– 9 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 11 of 45
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`32. Reasonable consumers – accustomed to companies complying with FDA
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`regulations and declaring ingredients in order of predominance – accept this
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`representation to mean that there are significant amounts of real fruit in the Product.
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`33. The Products lack real fruit:
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`34. To offset its lack of real fruit, Defendants overcompensate by plastering
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`real fruit imagery throughout their Products’ packaging.
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`35. For example, the Products include realistic drawings of fruits which
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`wrap around the entire lower level of the packaging.
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`36. Based on the representations that appear in the marketing and on the
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`packaging of the Products, Plaintiff reasonably believed that the Products were made
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`with significant amounts of real fruit.
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`37. Rather, Defendants’ Products are merely sugar filled snacks
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`masqueraded as health-focused treats containing real fruit and nutrition.
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`38. Taken as a whole, the words and images used on Defendants’ packaging
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`leads consumers to believe that the Products contain real fruit in significant
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`amounts.
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`– 10 –
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 12 of 45
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`39. Not only are consumers misled but also competing products sharing the
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`same shelves as Defendants’ Products are placed at a competitive disadvantage.
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`40. For example, these competing products are sold in the same stores as
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`Defendants’ Products yet - unlike the Products - these items do not make real fruit
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`representations:
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`a. Alabanse® Gummi Bear candy makes no fruit references and contains
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`similar ( actually lower) sugar levels than the Products.
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`b. HARIBO® Goldbears® candy includes images of fruit items yet no
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`written fruit messaging and contains similar ( actually lower) sugar
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`levels than the Products.
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`– 11 –
`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 13 of 45
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`c. Great Value® Gummy Bears candy includes images of fruit items yet no
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`written fruit messaging and contains lower sugar levels than the
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`Products:
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`– 12 –
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 14 of 45
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`41.
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`In other words, while all of the above snacks are similarly high in sugar
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`and lack any real fruit, none of the competing products – unlike Defendants’
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`Products’ - deceptively misrepresent that they contain real fruit.
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`42. Defendants’ deceptions harm not only consumers but also companies
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`that accurately represent their products by diverting attention and dollars away from
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`competitors that are good faith market participants.
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`B. Defendants perpetuate this deception in their advertising and
`marketing.
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`43. Defendants’ deceptions are not limited to the packaging. They further
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`the deception through targeted marketing and advertising.
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`44. For example, the website listing for the Products emphasizes the fruit
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`content and the health benefits of the Products:
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`45. Additionally, its marketing campaigns perpetuate the “made with real
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`fruit” myth when the Products do not contain any real fruit:
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 15 of 45
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`46.
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`Instead, Defendants fail to include any real fruit.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 16 of 45
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`47. The Products contain no dietary fiber, a key health-promoting
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`component of real fruit nor any of the other health benefits of real fruit.
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`48. Defendants target their deceptions to consumers demanding health
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`focused products.
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`49.
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`Instead of receiving a healthy snack made from real fruit, each serving
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`of the Products contains more sugar per serving than other snacks that do not target
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`health focused consumers.
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`50. The Products contain 15 grams of sugar in each serving which is the
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`same amount of sugar as some popular candies:
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 17 of 45
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`51. The above listed numbers discuss the serving size amounts of sugar.
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`52. The Products contain 5 servings per bag, so in total, the Products
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`contain 75 grams of sugar in each bag.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 18 of 45
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`53. This is more sugar than is present in a 20 ounce bottle of Coca Cola:
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`54. Also, the 75 grams of sugar present in the Products is more than three
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`times the recommended daily intake for women and children and two times the
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`recommended daily intake for men by the American Heart Association.7
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`55. Moreover, the Products contain almost the same amount of sugar that
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`are present in two 12 oz. cans of Coca Cola:
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`7 24 grams for women and children; 36 grams for men. American Heart Association,
`Added Sugars, available at https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-
`eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 19 of 45
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`56. Thus, the Products contain no real fruit – and none of the health
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`benefits associated with the consumption of real fruit – while containing dangerously
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`high levels of sugar that are higher than many items that consumers consider
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`unhealthy.
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`57. Through targeted marketing and advertising, Defendants perpetuate
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`the misrepresentation that their Products contain significant amounts of real fruit.
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`58. The practice of deceptively marketing fruit snacks as containing
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`substantial amounts of fruit when they do not is well-recognized, and the Center for
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`Science in the Public Interest has been outspoken in its criticism: 8
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`Food companies aggressively market phony fruit snacks to toddlers,
`children, and their parents, pushing them as healthy options and
`substitutes for real fruit. Unfortunately for parents and kids, phony
`fruit snacks don’t always contain the fruits advertised on the
`front of the box and never in the quantities suggested. Instead,
`companies use relatively cheap, nutritionally void, and highly
`processed pear, apple, and white grape juices, making phony
`fruit snacks much closer to gummy bears than actual fruit.
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`8 CSPI website, Phony Fruit Snacks, available at
`http://cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/fruitfraud.html (emphasis added).
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 20 of 45
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`59. The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s infographic provides
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`additional analysis of this problem:
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`60.
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`In this case, the Products’ first ingredient is not real fruit. Rather, it is
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`“pear juice from fruit juice concentrate.”
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`– 19 –
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 21 of 45
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`61.
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`In other words, the first ingredient is merely added sugar that is
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`nutritionally void.
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`62.
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`In fact, the second (Glucose Syrup) and third (Sugar) ingredients are
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`also added sugars.
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`63. Rather than having healthful real fruit as its first ingredients,
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`Defendants first three ingredients are added sugars.
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`64. This is the exact scenario shown in the CSPI infographic.
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`65.
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`Simply, “[t]hese aren’t fruit snacks... these sugar-laden treats are ‘Phony
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`Fruit Snacks.’"9
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`66. Added sugars represent 100% of the sugars contained in the Products.
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`67. Diets high in added sugars – from such foods as sugar-sweetened snacks
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`like the Products – squeeze healthier foods out of the diet, thereby displacing foods
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`that provide nutrients that reduce the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease,
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`stroke, and other health problems.10
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`68. Diets rich in added sugars contribute to obesity, the prevalence of which
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`has risen dramatically in the last three decades in both youths and adults.11 Obesity,
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`in turn, increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other
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`9 CSPI website, Phony Fruit Snacks, available at
`http://cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/fruitfraud.html.
`10 See S. Bowman, Diets of Individuals Based on Energy Intakes from Added Sugars,
`12 FAMILY ECON. NUTRITION REV. 31-8 (1999); G. Mrdjenovi & D.A. Levitsky,
`Nutritional and Energetic Consequences of Sweetened Drink Consumption in 6- to 13-
`year-old Children, 142 J. PEDIATRICS 604-10 (2003).
`11 See D.S. Ludwig, K.E. Peterson & S.L. Gortmaker, Relationship between
`Consumption of Sugar-sweetened Drinks and Childhood Obesity, 357 LANCET 505-8
`(2001); C.S. Berkey, H.R. Rockett, A.E. Field, et al., Sugar-added Beverages and
`Adolescent Weight Change, 12 OBESITY RES. 778-88 (2004); C.M Apovian, Sugar-
`sweetened Soft Drinks, Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes, 292 J. AM. MED. ASS’N 927-34
`(2004); Ctr. for Disease Control and Prevention, Nat’l Ctr. for Health Statistics,
`Prevalence of Overweight among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999-
`2002, available at www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overwght99.htm.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 22 of 45
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`health problems.12 In people who are insulin resistant, high intakes of added sugars
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`increase levels of blood triglycerides, which are associated with a higher risk of heart
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`disease and diabetes.13 In addition, frequent consumption of foods rich in added
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`sugars increases the risk of osteoporosis.14
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`69. Defendants’ claims about the fruit content of the Products are deceptive.
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`Although the marketing and labeling of the Products depict certain fruits, those fruits
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`are not the predominant ingredient nor are they even present in the Products.
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`Instead, the Products contain significant amounts of added sugars.
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`70. As a result of their unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent advertising and
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`marketing practices, Defendants have made millions at the expense of the public
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`health and trust, and continue to make millions through these unfair, unlawful and
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`fraudulent advertising and marketing practices.
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`C. The Products are misbranded.
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`71. Under FDCA section 403, a food is “misbranded” if “its labeling is false
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`or misleading in any particular.” See 21 U.S.C. §§ 343(a).
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`72. The amount of fruit in the Products has a material bearing on price and
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`consumer acceptance. Moreover, Defendants’ marketing and labeling of the Product—
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`including imagery and references of certain fruits—creates the erroneous impression
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`12 U.S. Surgeon General, U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Serv., The Surgeon
`General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity (2001).
`available at www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/CalltoAction.pdf.
`13 M.J. Stampfer, R.M Krauss, J. Ma, et al., A Prospective Study of Triglyceride Level,
`Lowdensity Lipoprotein Particle Diameter, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction, 276 J.
`AM. MED. ASS’N 882-8 (1996).
`14 S.J. Whiting, A. Healey & S. Psiuk, Relationship between Carbonated and Other
`Low Nutrient Dense Beverages and Bone Mineral Content of Adolescents, 32
`NUTRITION RES. 1107-15 (2001).
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 23 of 45
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`that the fruit depicted in the Products’ marketing and labeling is present in an
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`amount greater than is actually the case.
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`73. Defendants’ Products contain no real fruit.
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`74. Because the Defendants fail to reveal the basic nature and
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`characterizing properties of the Products (specifically, the true fruit content),
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`Defendants’ Products are not only sold with misleading labeling but also misbranded
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`under Sections 403(a) of the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), 21 U.S.C. §§
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`343(a), and cannot be legally manufactured, advertised, distributed, or sold in the
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`U.S. as it is currently labeled. See 21 U.S.C. § 331.
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`75. Moreover, California law forbids the misbranding of food in language
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`largely identical to that found in the FDCA.
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`76. The Products are misbranded under California’s Sherman Law, Cal.
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`Health & Safety Code §§ 109875-111915. The Sherman Law expressly incorporates
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`the food labeling requirements set forth in the FDCA, see Cal. Health & Safety Code §
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`110100(a), and provides that any food is misbranded if its nutritional labeling does
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`not conform to FDCA requirements. See id. § 110665; see also id. § 110670.
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`77. The Sherman Law further provides that a product is misbranded if its
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`labeling is “false or misleading.” Id. § 110660. It is a violation of the Sherman Law to
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`advertise any misbranded food, id. § 110398; to manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or
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`offer for sale any food that is misbranded, id. § 110760; to misbrand any food, id. §
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`110765: or to receive in commerce any food that is misbranded or deliver or proffer it
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`for delivery, id. § 110770.
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`Case 1:22-cv-02752-RMI Document 1 Filed 05/09/22 Page 24 of 45
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`78. By misrepresenting the basic nature and characterizing properties of the
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`Products, Defendants violate these federal and state regulations and mislead Plaintiff
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`and consumers alike.
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`D. Reasonable consumers relied on Defendants’ misrepresentations to
`their detriment.
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`79. Defendants’ deceptive representations and omissions are material in
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`that a reasonable person would attach importance to such information and would be
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`induced to act upon such information in making purchase decisions.
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`80. Plaintiff and the Class Members reasonably relied to their detriment on
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`Defendants’ misleading representations and omissions.
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`81. Defendants’ false, misleading, and deceptive misrepresentations and
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`omissions are likely to continue to deceive and mislead reasonable consumers and the
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`general public, as they have already deceived and misled the Plaintiff and the Class
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`Members.
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`E