Cookie Dough Bites, Muddy Bears, Hello Kitty Treats Slack-Fill Class Action Settlement

Taste of Nature Inc. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it packaged some of its candy products in oversized cardboard containers that contained unlawful empty space.

If you purchased any of the following Taste of Nature candy products enclosed in cardboard boxes between Jan. 1, 2013 and June 18, 2018, you may be entitled to payment from the slack-fill class action settlement:

• Cookie Dough Bites
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
• Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough Bites
• Santa’s Village Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
• Cookies N’ Cream Cookie Dough Bites
• Cinnamon Bun Bites
• Red Velvet Cupcake Bites
• Moon Pie Bites
• Strawberry Dream Bites
• Birthday Cake Cookie Dough Bites
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
• Muddy Bears
• Shari Candies Cherry Sour Balls
• Despicable Me 2 Sour Gummies
• Sqwigglies
• Hello Kitty Treats

Plaintiff Dacia Trentham filed the class action lawsuit against Taste of Nature in May 2018, in which she accused the defendant of packaging the candies in non-transparent, cardboard containers that contain unnecessary and unlawful empty space.

Taste of Nature denies any wrongdoing and maintains that the candy products at issue were lawfully marketed, labeled and filled. However, the defendant agreed to settle the slack-fill class action lawsuit to avoid the risk and expense of further litigation.

In addition to providing cash payments to Class Members who file timely and valid claim, Taste of Nature has also agreed to evaluate the level of fill in its products and work to develop modifications and/or replacements for its existing packaging to reduce the amount of slack-fill.

The Taste of Nature slack-fill class action settlement was preliminarily approved on June 18, 2018.

Class Members who would like to opt out of or object to the Taste of Nature settlement must do so no later than Sept. 28, 2018.

UPDATE: On Feb. 25, 2019, Top Class Actions viewers started receiving checks in the mail from the Cookie Dough Bites, Muddy Bears, Hello Kitty Treats settlement worth as much as $12.50. Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got PAID!

Who’s Eligible

Class Members of the Taste of Nature settlement include anyone who purchased any of the following products enclosed in cardboard boxes between Jan. 1, 2013 and June 18, 2018:

• Cookie Dough Bites
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
• Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough Bites
• Santa’s Village Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
• Cookies N’ Cream Cookie Dough Bites
• Cinnamon Bun Bites
• Red Velvet Cupcake Bites
• Moon Pie Bites
• Strawberry Dream Bites
• Birthday Cake Cookie Dough Bites
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
• Muddy Bears
• Shari Candies Cherry Sour Balls
• Despicable Me 2 Sour Gummies
• Sqwigglies
• Hello Kitty Treats

NOTE: The products must have been purchased in the United States to qualify.

Potential Award

Up to $12.50 per household.

The amount each Class Member is eligible to receive depends on the number of products purchased an whether they qualify as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Class Member.

Tier 1: Includes Class Members who do not have valid proof of purchase. Tier 1 Class Members are entitled to a payment of 25 cents per product purchased, for a maximum of four products (up to a maximum of $1).

Tier 2: Includes Class Members who provide valid proof of purchase with their Claim Form. Tier 2 Class Members are entitled to a payment of 25 cents per documented purchase for a maximum of 50 units (up to a maximum of $12.50).

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase is required. However, Class Members who submit proof of purchase with their Claim Form may claim up to $12.50 while those without proof of purchase can claim up to $1.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

12/24/2018

Case Name

Dacia Trentham v. Taste of Nature Inc., Case No. 18PH-CV00751, in Phelps County Circuit Court, Missouri

Final Hearing

10/24/2018

Settlement Website

www.CandyProductsSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Trentham v. Taste of Nature
c/o Heffler Claims Group, Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 59502
Philadelphia, PA 19102-9502
(844) 271-4788

Class Counsel

David Steelman
Stephen F. Gaunt
STEELMAN GAUNT & HORSEFIELD

Naomi B. Spector
KAMBERLAW LLP

Defense Counsel

Joshua Briones
E. Crystal Lopez
MINTZ LEVIN COHN FERRIS GLOVSKY AND POPEO PC