Nestlé’s Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss Vanilla Creamer Contains No Natural Vanilla, Class Action Claims

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Nestlé’s Coffee-mate Natural Bliss vanilla flavored coffee creamer, which purports to be flavored by natural vanilla, has no detectable amount of natural vanilla and is artificially flavored, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

The class action lawsuit was filed in California on June 2 by lead Plaintiff Elaine Saldivar, who alleges that Nestlé falsely advertises the Coffee-mate product and makes false and misleading statements about how natural it is.

The front label of the creamer includes pictures of two vanilla beans and a vanilla flower, and the statements “Vanilla – Natural Flavor,” “Natural Bliss,” “All-Natural Coffee Creamer,” “All Natural,” “Made With Real Milk & Cream,” and “No GMO Ingredients.”

The back label shows a pitcher of cream, bottle of milk, spoonful of sugar, two vanilla beans and a vanilla flower, with the statement, “Made with only: Milk & Cream, Cane Sugar, and Natural Vanilla Flavor,” according to the claim, which adds the labelling says that the natural vanilla flavor includes extracts from real beans from Madagascar.

Saldivar says that, because of this labelling and her attempts to consume natural food made from natural ingredients, she bought the creamer thinking that high levels of natural vanilla extract were included.

“Plaintiff sought to purchase a product with natural vanilla flavor, without synthetic ingredients and expected that most or all the flavor would be from natural vanilla,” the class action lawsuit states.

“Plaintiff did not expect the Product’s vanilla taste to be provided mostly, or all, by artificial flavoring from artificial sources.”

According to the claim, the Natural Bliss vanilla flavored creamer contains “no appreciable or detectable amount of natural vanilla, and is flavored almost exclusively by artificial flavor.”

It adds that the product is flavored with synthetic vanillin, which has become increasingly popular for food manufacturers as a low-cost vanilla substitute since its development in the late 19th century.

Because of this, consumer demand for natural vanilla has increased due to concerns about the effects of synthetic and chemical ingredients in foods, and consumers are willing to pay — and have paid — a premium for products branded “natural” over products that contain synthetic ingredients, the claim states.

“The artificially flavored vanilla coffee creamers cost no more than $2.49 per 16 OZ, a substantial amount less than defendant’s Product, $3.79 per 16 OZ, even though both contain artificial vanilla flavoring and little, if any, natural vanilla.”

According to the class action lawsuit, the Food and Drug Administration defines “natural” to mean nothing artificial or synthetic has been included in or added to food.

The claim states Nestlé misrepresented Natural Bliss, which is made from an artificial petrochemical source through an artificial process, conflating the natural and artificial flavoring and deceiving consumers.

Saldivar wants to represent anyone in California who purchased Natural Bliss vanilla flavored coffee creamer. She is suing for breach of state business laws and unjust enrichment, and seeks certification of the Class, damages, restitution, declaratory relief, interest, legal fees, and a jury trial.

Nestlé isn’t the only company to face legal action over claims it falsely advertises ingredients in its products. Recently, food producer Purely Elizabeth was hit with a class action lawsuit for allegedly falsely advertising the amount of protein in its products and mislabeling them in violation of state and federal laws.

Do you try to buy natural products at the grocery store? Do you know how to identify natural from artificial flavors? Let us know in the comments section!

Saldivar is represented by Scott C. Borison of Borison Firm, LLC and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.

The Nestlé Vanilla Coffee Creamer False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit is Saldivar vs. Nestlé USA, Inc., Case No. 4:21-cv-04162-DMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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