Parrot Bay class action alleges mini bottles not actual rum

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Parrot Bay mini bottles class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Cindy Koonce filed a class action lawsuit against Sazerac Co. Inc. 
• Why: Koonce claims Sazerac misleads consumers into wrongly believing its Parrot Bay beverages sold in mini bottles contain rum. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court. 
• What are my options: Try Drizly for Parrot Bay alternatives.

Sazerac Co. sells a Parrot Bay malt beverage in mini bottles that is not actual rum like its larger counterpart, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Cindy Koonce claims consumers purchase the Parrot Bay beverage under the belief the mini bottles are “true Parrot Bay Rum,” when, in reality, the product is a malt beverage with less than 20% alcohol by volume.

“When individuals buy Parrot Bay rum — as they do other rums — the alcohol content is a major component, if not the driving force, of the decision to purchase an alcoholic beverage,” the Parrot Bay class action states. 

Koonce argues Sazerac uses the “familiar nature” of its symbol for Parrot Bay, including its tropic-themed logo, to sell products “that are, decidedly, not rum.” 

“Plaintiff, like all reasonable consumers, relied on this label to her detriment, and suffered injury in the form of the purchase price,” the Parrot Bay class action states. 

Koonce wants to represent a New York class of consumers who purchased a Parrot Bay malt beverage product sold in mini bottles. 

Consumers would have to scrutinize Parrot Bay mini bottles to discover they lack rum, class action says

Koonce argues she would not have purchased the product had she known the Parrot Bay beverage sold in mini bottles did not contain real rum. 

“A consumer familiar with Parrot Bay and with rum-branding in general who purchased the Malt would have to scrutinize farther than the reasonable consumer is expected to for them to understand there is no rum,” the Parrot Bay class action states. 

Koonce claims Sazerac is guilty of unjust enrichment and violates New York General Business Law. She demands a jury trial and requests declaratory relief along with an award of compensatory, statutory and punitive damages for herself and all class members. 

Consumers filed similar class action lawsuits against Sazerac earlier this year, arguing the company misled consumers into falsely believing its Fireball Cinnamon and Southern Comfort mini bottles contained whiskey. 

Have you purchased a Parrot Bay mini bottle product? Let us know in the comments. 

The plaintiff is represented by Charles D. Moore and Michael R. Reese of Reese LLP and Kevin Laukaitis of Laukaitis Law LLC. 

The Parrot Bay class action lawsuit is Koonce, et al. v. Sazerac Co. Inc., Case No. 7:23-cv-04323, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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