Food & Beverage

  • June 26, 2025

    Buyer Sanctioned For Scrapping $16M Deal With Cattle Co.

    A Texas federal judge sanctioned a would-be buyer of assets for a defunct cattle trading company at the center of an alleged $161 million Ponzi scheme, saying during a Thursday hearing that the buyer should not have stalled before confessing it didn't have the funds.

  • June 26, 2025

    Bayer Investors' $38M Settlement Over Monsanto Deal OK'd

    A California federal judge on Thursday preliminarily approved Bayer AG's $38 million settlement with investors who accused the German multinational of downplaying litigation risks related to the weedkiller Roundup when it acquired Monsanto in 2018, saying the deal appeared to be "fair, reasonable and adequate."

  • June 26, 2025

    Italian Winery Claims $53M Loss From Importer's Interference

    The Italian maker of Kris wine is suing its former importer in California federal court on claims that it asserted exclusive rights to the brand and sabotaged new deals after their agreement was terminated, saying the U.S. company breached an arbitration award and caused more than $53 million in damages.

  • June 26, 2025

    Grocer Drops Insurer From NC Opioid Coverage Suit

    A grocery chain and a Chubb unit told a North Carolina state court they've agreed to drop their insurance coverage claims against each other with prejudice over a raft of underlying opioid lawsuits.

  • June 26, 2025

    Kroger, Growers Sued Over Frozen Mango Contamination

    The Kroger Co., family-owned grower Townsend Farms Inc., SunOpta Grains and Foods Inc. and two unnamed corporations have been sued in Georgia federal court over allegations that a man developed a listeria infection after buying a frozen mango product from a Kroger in Douglasville, Georgia.

  • June 26, 2025

    Fla. Suit Claims Popeyes Unfairly Targeted Franchisee

    A longtime Popeyes franchisee has brought a petition in Florida federal court to halt what he claims are unfair tactics to sell his two stores in Virginia, claiming the restaurant corporation has engaged in a campaign to push him out in favor of a larger, corporate-backed operator.

  • June 26, 2025

    Ex-FDA Regulator Joins ArentFox Schiff's Pharma Practice

    ArentFox Schiff LLP has hired a career U.S. Food and Drug Administration compliance professional, whose oversight focused on ensuring pharmaceutical industry participants' compliance with drug supply chain rules and other governing regulations, as counsel in the firm's food, drug, medical device and cosmetic practice in Washington.

  • June 26, 2025

    '50 Cent' Liquor Biz Can Target Ex-Boss's Home In Ch. 7

    A Connecticut bankruptcy judge ruled that famous rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's liquor company Sire Spirits LLC can enforce its lien on its former brand manager Mitchell Green's home in Westport to get some recovery for a $7 million fraud judgment against him, even as Green goes through Chapter 7 proceedings.

  • June 26, 2025

    Conn. Firm Says Judge 'Overlooked' Key Case In Dismissal

    Connecticut employment law firm Hayber McKenna & Dinsmore LLC has asked a state judge to reconsider her decision to trim abuse of process claims from its suit against attorneys for restaurants who sued the firm over underlying labor class actions, saying she "must have overlooked" important state Supreme Court precedent.

  • June 25, 2025

    OTC Pills Are Opioid In Disguise, Consumer Says

    A Georgia company that produces an over-the-counter supplement branded as "ZaZa" was hit with a proposed class action Tuesday from a consumer who said the supplement's active ingredient is a highly addictive substance with effects comparable to opioids, which the manufacturer has hidden from consumers.

  • June 25, 2025

    DOL Urges Judge Not To Block H-2A Prevailing Wage Rules

    The U.S. Department of Labor defended its 2022 H-2A prevailing wage regulations against claims from a farmworker union in Washington federal court, arguing the agency's rules are lawful and must be upheld.

  • June 25, 2025

    EU Probing Mars' $36B Deal For Pringles-Maker Kellanova

    European competition enforcers said Wednesday they are investigating snack food and candy giant Mars Inc.'s planned $35.9 billion purchase of Cheez-It and Pringles maker Kellanova over concerns the combined company would have too much negotiating power with retailers.

  • June 25, 2025

    3rd Circ. Upholds $3.2M Atty Fee In Wawa Breach Suit

    The Third Circuit on Wednesday upheld a $3.2 million fee award for Berger Montague and Fine Kaplan & Black in the settlement for consumers affected by a 2019 Wawa data breach, ruling Wednesday that the district court judge correctly found no improper "side deals" or collusion at class members' expense.

  • June 25, 2025

    Albertsons Reaches Terms To End Action Over Cereal Bars

    Grocery chain Albertsons has resolved a proposed class action alleging its Signature Select Fruit & Grain cereal bars were deceptively labeled "Naturally Flavored" while containing an artificial ingredient derived from petroleum.

  • June 25, 2025

    Foxwoods Restaurant Wage Suit Deal Gets Initial Nod

    A Connecticut state court judge has given her preliminary approval to a $425,000 settlement between Sugar Factory American Brasserie, a restaurant at the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation's Foxwoods Resort Casino, and a class of 55 servers who claim their pay was shorted for several years.

  • June 25, 2025

    Farm Products Co. Sues Ex-Owner Over Trade Secrets Theft

    Agricultural products company AgXplore sued a former owner claiming that after a $100 million buyout he continued to compete with the company and misappropriated its trade secrets.

  • June 24, 2025

    FTC Commish Says Enforcement Is The Way, Not Regulation

    The newest member of the Federal Trade Commission was preaching less regulation and increased enforcement as the path toward a more just and competitive business landscape in the United States at a Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing Tuesday afternoon.

  • June 24, 2025

    Whole Foods Staffers Seek Greenlight For $2M 401(k) Fee Deal

    Whole Foods workers urged a Texas federal court on Tuesday to preliminarily approve a $2 million deal they hammered out with the Amazon-owned grocery chain to end their putative class action alleging excessive fees were charged to their employee 401(k) retirement plan in violation of federal benefits law.

  • June 24, 2025

    State AGs Sue Trump Admin To Stop Billions In Grant Cuts

    A coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia filed suit Tuesday in Massachusetts federal court, accusing the Trump administration of unlawfully using a single clause "buried in federal regulations" to nix billions of dollars in federal grant funding to the states.

  • June 24, 2025

    5th Circ. Says EPA Ignored Cos. To Push Efficiency Testing Rule

    The Fifth Circuit has thrown out part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule for determining measures for fuel efficiency, finding Tuesday that the agency used a faulty methodology to justify tightening standards and outright ignored comments when creating the rule.

  • June 24, 2025

    Krispy Kreme Cyberattack Sparks Class Claims Blitz

    A former Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. employee has filed a proposed class action in North Carolina federal court claiming the chain failed to properly protect its current and former workers' personal information before a November data breach, one of many suits brought against it over that same cyberattack.

  • June 24, 2025

    1st Circ. Undoes Inflated Biz Interruption Award For Drink Co.

    A Puerto Rico federal court wrongly maintained an award against an insurer that exceeded a beverage manufacturer's actual business income and extra expenses losses and was not supported by evidence at trial, the First Circuit held, reducing the total award from $1 million to approximately $686,000.

  • June 24, 2025

    Food Co. Escapes Workers' Wage Theft Suit

    Two former employees brought their lawsuit accusing a food services company of using a faulty timekeeping system that shortchanged their wages too late, a New Jersey federal judge ruled, granting the company's bid to throw out the proposed class action.

  • June 24, 2025

    UK Farmers Seek Judicial Review Of Inheritance Tax Changes

    A group of farmers and family-owned businesses is taking the U.K. government to court over changes to the inheritance tax to remove exemptions for agricultural land, the firm representing the farmers announced Tuesday.

  • June 23, 2025

    Drink Co., Founder To Pay SEC $1.1M Over Faux Rihanna Deal

    A beverage company and its founder have agreed to give the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over $1.1 million as part of a resolution of claims they misused investor funds and inaccurately suggested they were poised to collaborate with pop star Rihanna.

Expert Analysis

  • How DOGE's Bite Can Live Up To Its Bark

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    All signs suggest that the Department of Government Efficiency will be an important part of the new Trump administration, with ample tools at its disposal to effectuate change, particularly with an attentive Republican-controlled Congress, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Looking Back At 2024's Noteworthy State AG Litigation

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    State attorneys general across the U.S. took bold steps in 2024 to address unlawful activities by corporations in several areas, including privacy and data security, financial transparency, children's internet safety, and other overall consumer protection claims, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 Advertising Law Trends To Watch In 2025

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    Although advertisers are encouraged by the incoming Trump administration's focus on deregulation, this year could feel like wading through uncharted waters, and decreased federal government regulation may mean increased state regulation, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • NY Plastic Pollution Verdict May Not Bode Well For Other Suits

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    The dismissal of New York state's public nuisance complaint against PepsiCo over pollution of the Buffalo River with the company's single use plastic bottles may not augur well for similar lawsuits filed by Baltimore and Los Angeles County, although tort law varies from state to state, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • 2024 Was A Banner Year For Shareholder Activism

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    Shareholder activism campaigns in 2024 continued at an elevated pace globally, with activist investors exploiting valuation gaps and pushing aggressively for corporate governance reforms, including the ouster of many companies' chief executives, a trend that could continue once President-elect Donald Trump takes office, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • How Trump 2.0 May Change Business In Latin America

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    Companies in Latin America should expect to face more trade restrictions, tighter economic sanctions and enhanced corruption risks, as the incoming administration shifts focus to certain non-U.S. actors, most notably China, says Matteson Ellis at Miller & Chevalier.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Surprise NC COVID Ruling Revises Reasonable Expectations

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    The North Carolina Supreme Court's recent finding in favor of policyholders in a suit for business interruption coverage due to COVID-19 shutdown orders runs contrary to most other state and federal courts' holdings on the issue, and may revitalize the reasonable expectations doctrine in the state, say attorneys at Goldberg Segalla.

  • Complying With Seasonal Product Labeling Requirements

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    Though the holiday season is in the rearview, many seasonal alcohol products remain in the market, and producers should ensure that their labels comply with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's additional requirements for such products, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • 5 Drug And Device Developments That Shaped 2024

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    The last year saw significant legal developments affecting drug and device manufacturers, with landmark decisions and regulatory changes that require vigilance and agility from the industry, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

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