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`Michael P. Lehmann (Cal. Bar No. 77152)
`Bonny E. Sweeney (Cal. Bar No. 176174)
`Christopher L. Lebsock (Cal. Bar No. 184546)
`Samantha J. Stein (Cal. Bar No. 302034)
`HAUSFELD LLP
`600 Montgomery Street, Suite 3200
`San Francisco, CA 94111
`Tel: (415) 633-1908
`Fax: (415) 358-4980
`E-mail: mlehmann@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: bsweeney@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: clebsock@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: sstein@hausfeld.com
`
`Class Counsel for the Direct Purchaser Class
`
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
`
`
`
`IN RE: PACKAGED SEAFOOD
`PRODUCTS ANTITRUST
`LITIGATION
`
`This filing relates to the Direct
`Purchaser Plaintiff Class Action
`Track
`
`
`Case No. 3:15-md-02670-JLS-MDD
`
`DIRECT PURCHASER
`PLAINTIFFS’ NOTICE OF
`MOTION AND MOTION FOR
`PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
`
`DATE: May 20, 2021
`TIME: 10:30 a.m.
`JUDGE: Janis L. Sammartino
`CTRM: 4D
`
`
`DPPS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
`
`
`CASE NO. 15-MD-2670-JLS (MDD)
`
`
`
`Case 3:15-md-02670-JLS-MDD Document 2533 Filed 03/31/21 PageID.230163 Page 2 of 4
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`TO THE COURT, ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF
`RECORD:
`PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on May 20, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., pursuant to
`Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, Plaintiffs Olean Wholesale Grocery Cooperative,
`Inc., Pacific Groservice Inc. d/b/a PITCO Foods, Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing
`Co., Inc., Howard Samuels as Trustee in Bankruptcy for Central Grocers, Inc., Trepco
`Imports and Distribution Ltd., and Benjamin Foods LLC (collectively, the “Direct
`Purchaser Plaintiffs” or “DPPs”) will move the Court for an order granting preliminary
`approval of the proposed class action settlement between DPPs and Defendants Tri
`Union Seafoods LLC d/b/a Chicken of the Sea (“COSI”) and Thai Union Group PCL
`(“TUG”) (collectively with the DPPs, the “Parties”), which is memorialized in the
`Settlement Agreement Between Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs and Tri-Union Seafoods
`LLC d/b/a Chicken of the Sea and Thai Union Group, PCL (“Settlement Agreement”),
`and for related relief. Specifically, DPPs request that the Court:
`(1) Certify, for settlement purposes, the following Settlement Class:
`
`
`All persons and entities that directly purchased packaged tuna products
`within the United States, its territories and the District of Columbia from
`any Defendant at any time between June 1, 2011 and July 31, 2015.
`Excluded from the class are all governmental entities, Defendants, any
`parent, subsidiary or affiliate thereof, and Defendants’ officers, directors,
`employees, and immediate families, as well as any federal judges or their
`staffs.
`(2) Appoint Hausfeld LLP as Class Counsel for settlement purposes;
`(3) Appoint Olean Wholesale Grocery Cooperative, Inc., Pacific Groservice
`Inc. d/b/a PITCO Foods, Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co., Inc., Howard
`Samuels as Trustee in Bankruptcy for Central Grocers, Inc., Trepco Imports and
`Distribution Ltd., and Benjamin Foods LLC as Class Representatives, for settlement
`purposes;
`(4) Find that the Settlement Agreement has been negotiated at arm’s length;
`
`
`DPPS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
`1
`
`CASE NO. 15-MD-2670-JLS (MDD)
`
`
`
`Case 3:15-md-02670-JLS-MDD Document 2533 Filed 03/31/21 PageID.230164 Page 3 of 4
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`(5) Preliminarily approve the Settlement Agreement as fair, reasonable, and
`adequate, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class;
`(6) Approve the notice content and plan for providing notice of the Class
`Action and Settlement to members of the Class and Settlement Class;
`(7) Set a deadline (the “Opt Out Deadline”) for persons to seek exclusion from
`the Settlement Class; and
`(8) Schedule a Fairness and Final Approval Hearing.
`This Motion is based on the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities,
`the supporting declarations, the record and any further briefing in this matter, and the
`arguments at the hearing of this Motion, if any.
`
`The DPPs understand that COSI and TUG do not oppose this Motion.
`Additionally, the DPPs have requested that any other party who may seek to oppose
`the Motion promptly advise them within three days of filing this Motion, so that the
`DPPs may so advise the Court if it intends to set a briefing schedule.
`
`Dated: March 31, 2021
`
`
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`
`By: s/ Bonny E. Sweeney
`Michael P. Lehmann
`Bonny E. Sweeney
`Christopher L. Lebsock
`Samantha J. Stein
`HAUSFELD LLP
`600 Montgomery Street, Suite 3200
`San Francisco, CA 94111
`Tel: (415) 633-1908
`Fax: (415) 358-4980
`E-mail: mlehmann@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: bsweeney@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: clebsock@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: sstein@hausfeld.com
`
`Michael D. Hausfeld
`
`
`DPPS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
`2
`
`CASE NO. 15-MD-2670-JLS (MDD)
`
`
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`Case 3:15-md-02670-JLS-MDD Document 2533 Filed 03/31/21 PageID.230165 Page 4 of 4
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`James J. Pizzirusso
`HAUSFELD LLP
`1700 K Street NW, Suite 650
`Washington, DC 20006
`Telephone: (202) 540-7200
`Facsimile: (202) 540-7201
`E-mail: mhausfeld@hausfeld.com
`E-mail: jpizzirusso@hausfeld.com
`
`Class Counsel for the Direct Purchaser
`Class
`
`
`
`
`DPPS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL
`3
`
`CASE NO. 15-MD-2670-JLS (MDD)
`
`