`Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 1 of 6 PageID #:293532
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EXHIBIT “1”
`
`EXHIBIT “1”
`
`
`
`
`
`Case: 1:21-cv-01207 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 1 of 5 PageID #:1Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 2 of 6 PageID #:293533
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
`EASTERN DIVISION
`
`
` Case No: 1:21-cv-01207
`
`
`
`
`Jury Trial Demanded
`(Related to In re Broiler Chicken
`Antitrust Litigation – Case No.
`1:16-cv-08637)
`
`
`
`THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
`INCORPORATED,
`
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`TYSON FOODS, INC.; TYSON CHICKEN,
`INC.; TYSON BREEDERS, INC.; TYSON
`POULTRY, INC.; PILGRIM’S PRIDE
`CORPORATION; KOCH FOODS, INC.; JCG
`FOODS OF ALABAMA, LLC; JCG FOODS
`OF GEORGIA, LLC; KOCH MEAT CO., INC.;
`SANDERSON FARMS, INC.; SANDERSON
`FARMS, INC. (FOOD DIVISION);
`SANDERSON FARMS, INC. (PRODUCTION
`DIVISION); SANDERSON FARMS, INC.
`(PROCESSING DIVISION); HOUSE OF
`RAEFORD FARMS, INC.; MAR-JAC
`POULTRY, INC.; PERDUE FARMS, INC.;
`PERDUE FOODS, LLC; WAYNE FARMS,
`LLC; SIMMONS FOODS, INC.; SIMMONS
`PREPARED FOODS, INC.; O.K. FOODS,
`INC.; O.K. FARMS, INC.; O.K. INDUSTRIES,
`INC.; HARRISON POULTRY, INC.; FOSTER
`FARMS, LLC; FOSTER POULTRY FARMS;
`CLAXTON POULTRY FARMS, INC.;
`MOUNTAIRE FARMS, INC.; MOUNTAIRE
`FARMS, LLC; MOUNTAIRE FARMS OF
`DELAWARE, INC.; AGRI STATS, INC.;
`CASE FOODS, INC.; CASE FARMS, LLC;
`CASE FARMS PROCESSING, INC.;
`KEYSTONE FOODS LLC; EQUITY GROUP
`EUFAULA DIVISION, LLC; EQUITY GROUP
`KENTUCKY DIVISION LLC; and EQUITY
`GROUP-GEORGIA DIVISION LLC,
`
` Defendants.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`125000083.2
`
`
`
`
`
`Case: 1:21-cv-01207 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 2 of 5 PageID #:2Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 3 of 6 PageID #:293534
`
`
`
`COMPLAINT AND DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
`
`Plaintiff The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (“TCF” or “Plaintiff”) is a Delaware
`
`1.
`
`corporation with its headquarters in Calabasas Hills, California. TCF owns and operates 294
`
`restaurants throughout the United States and Canada under brands including The Cheesecake
`
`Factory® and North Italia®.
`
`2.
`
`During the relevant time period, TCF negotiated and contracted with Defendants
`
`for the production and supply of Broilers. TCF also utilized distributors to supply its restaurants
`
`with Broilers purchased on its behalf pursuant to these negotiations and contracts. These
`
`distributors include Nealy Foods, Inc. (“Nealy”) and Halperns’ Steak and Seafood Company, LLC
`
`(“Halperns’”), who have assigned their claims arising out of these transactions to TCF.
`
`3.
`
`TCF brings this action on its own behalf, and as assignee of Nealy and Halperns’
`
`(collectively, “Assignors”). The references in this Complaint to “TCF” and/or “Plaintiff” include
`
`TCF’s Assignors.
`
`4.
`
`During the time period relevant to TCF’s claims, TCF and/or its Assignors directly
`
`purchased Broilers in the United States from Defendants and/or their co-conspirators, and
`
`sustained injury and damages as a proximate result of the antitrust violations and other unlawful
`
`activities alleged in this Complaint.
`
`5.
`
`TCF brings this action for damages under the federal antitrust laws against the
`
`defendants identified below, and incorporates by reference Direct Action Plaintiffs’ Amended
`
`Consolidated Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial [ECF Nos. 4243, 4244], filed in In re Broiler
`
`Chicken Antitrust Litigation, 1:16-cv-08637 (N.D. Ill.) on January 29, 2021.1
`
`
`1 Pursuant to the Court’s Orders in In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litig., 1:16-cv-08637, [ECF
`Nos. 3778, 3652, 3525], the Direct Action Plaintiffs filed an Amended Consolidated Complaint
`containing “all the allegations the Direct-Action Plaintiffs make against all Defendants” on
`January 29, 2021 [ECF Nos. 4243, 4244]. In an effort to promote efficiency given the Court’s
`
`125000083.2
`
`2
`
`
`
`
`
`Case: 1:21-cv-01207 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 3 of 5 PageID #:3Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 4 of 6 PageID #:293535
`
`
`
`6.
`
`TCF joins Section II of the Direct Action Plaintiffs’ Amended Consolidated
`
`Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial [ECF Nos. 4243, 4244], adding the following to specify
`
`TCF’s causes of action and the Defendants and Co-Conspirators in TCF’s action.
`
`
`
`Plaintiff Name
`
`Operative
`
`Complaint
`
`(Reference is to
`Sealed Version, if
`applicable)
`
`The Cheesecake
`Factory
`Incorporated
`
` To Be Determined
`
`Named
`Defendants (Not
`Previously
`Dismissed)
`
`
`
`
`
`Named Co-
`Conspirators (if
`any)
`
`Causes of Action
`
`Allen Harim
`Amick
`Fieldale Farms
`George’s
`Peco
`
`Agri Stats; Case;
`Claxton; Foster Farms;
`Harrison; House of
`Raeford; Keystone
`Foods; Koch; Mar-
`Jac; Mountaire Farms;
`O.K. Foods; Perdue;
`Pilgrim’s Pride;
`Sanderson Farms;
`Simmons;
`Tyson; Wayne Farms
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Case; Claxton; Koch;
`Mar-Jac; Perdue;
`Pilgrim’s Pride;
`Sanderson Farms;
`Tyson
`
`Count I (Sherman Act
`Claim for all
`Anticompetitive Conduct);
`Count II (Sherman Act
`Claim for Output
`Restriction, Pled in the
`Alternative to Count I);
`Count III (Sherman Act
`Claim for GA Dock
`Manipulation, Pled in the
`Alternative to Count I)
`
`Count LV (Sherman Act
`Claim for Bid Rigging,
`Pled in the Alternative to
`Count I)
`
`
`
`
`
`PRAYER FOR RELIEF
`
`WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that the Court:
`
`A.
`
`Enter joint and several judgments against all Defendants in favor of Plaintiff;
`
`B.
`
`Award Plaintiff damages in an amount to be determined at trial to the maximum
`
`extent allowed under federal antitrust laws, and enter a joint and several judgment in favor of
`
`Plaintiff against Defendants in an amount to be trebled to the extent such laws permit;
`
`
`recent reference to similar abbreviated Complaints as helpful to the Court [ECF No. 4139],
`Plaintiff files this abbreviated pleading that incorporates by reference and adopts the allegations
`set forth in Direct Action Plaintiffs’ Amended Consolidated Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial.
`If the Court prefers a different form or process, Plaintiff will withdraw this pleading and proceed
`according to the Court’s direction.
`
`
`125000083.2
`
`3
`
`
`
`
`
`Case: 1:21-cv-01207 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 4 of 5 PageID #:4Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 5 of 6 PageID #:293536
`
`
`
`C.
`
`Award Plaintiff its post-judgment interest as provided by law, with such interest to
`
`be awarded at the highest legal rate;
`
`D.
`
`Award Plaintiff its attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, and costs, as provided by
`
`law; and
`
`E.
`
`Grant Plaintiff such other and further relief that the Court may deem just and proper.
`
`JURY DEMAND
`
`Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 38, Plaintiff demands a trial by jury on all
`
`issues so triable.
`
`Dated: March 3, 2021
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`By: /s/ David B. Esau
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`David B. Esau
`Kristin A. Gore
`Garth Yearick
`Amanda R. Jesteadt
`Stephen A. Cohen
`Casey R. McGowan
`CARLTON FIELDS, P.A.
`525 Okeechobee Boulevard, Suite 1200
`West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
`Tel: (561) 659-7070
`Fax: (561) 659-7368
`desau@carltonfields.com
`kgore@carltonfields.com
`gyearick@carltonfields.com
`ajesteadt@carltonfields.com
`scohen@carltonfields.com
`cmcgowan@carltonfields.com
`
`Roger S. Kobert
`CARLTON FIELDS, P.A.
`Chrysler Building
`405 Lexington Avenue, 36th Floor
`New York, New York 10174-3699
`Tel: (212) 785-2577
`Fax: (212) 785-5203
`rkobert@carltonfields.com
`
`125000083.2
`
`4
`
`
`
`
`
`Case: 1:21-cv-01207 Document #: 1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 5 of 5 PageID #:5Case: 1:16-cv-08637 Document #: 4412-1 Filed: 03/03/21 Page 6 of 6 PageID #:293537
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Scott L. Menger
`CARLTON FIELDS, LLP
`2029 Century Park East, Suite 1200
`Los Angeles, CA 90067
`Tel: (310) 843-6300
`Fax: (310) 843-6301
`smenger@carltonfields.com
`
`Counsel for Plaintiff The Cheesecake Factory
`Incorporated
`
`Joseph M. Vanek
`Michael G. Dickler
`SPERLING & SLATER, P.C.
`55 West Monroe Street, Suite 3200
`Chicago, Illinois 60603
`Tel: (312) 641-3200
`Fax: (312) 641-6492
`jvanek@sperling-law.com
`mdickler@sperling-law.com
`
`Designated Local Counsel for Plaintiff under N.D.
`Ill. LR 83.15
`
`125000083.2
`
`5
`
`