Kona Coffee Lawsuit Claims Labeling Was Purposefully Deceptive

Consumers who have purchased coffee labeled “Kona” or “Blue Mountain” may have been sold cheap or counterfeit coffee advertised as premium Kona coffee.

According to a Kona coffee lawsuit filed in March 2019, some companies may be mislabeling cheap coffee as premium beans in order to make the maximum profit. Plaintiffs Michael B. and Mark M. say they have been purchasing coffee labeled as Kona for years and believe that they have been sold subpar products.

In addition to consumer complaints and lawsuits, Hawaiian growers of Kona coffee have also lodged complaints against several retailers. These growers claim that mislabeling coffee misleads consumers and reduces the value of actual premium Kona coffee.

What is Kona Coffee?

Kona coffee comes from a region on Hawaii’s Big Island. Coffee growers and aficionados claim that coffee from the Kona region has a distinctive flavor and aroma due to the volcanic soil, elevation, and humidity of the region it is grown in. Due to these unique qualities, Kona coffee is a specialty coffee that may be better or more complex than other varieties.

Blue Mountain coffee is a kind of coffee originating from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Blue Mountain coffee is similarly distinctive, and is grown in a specific area of Jamaica’s mountain region.

Kona coffee lawsuit plaintiffs claim that this deceptive labeling harms both consumers and the growers of legitimate Kona and Blue Mountain coffee. Coffee producers claim that in addition to selling consumers low quality coffee, these allegedly fake Kona coffee brands have flooded the market, bringing down the price that growers are able to charge for actual Kona coffee.

According to growers, less than 3 million pounds of coffee is grown in the Kona region every year. However, more than 20 million pounds of coffee labeled as Kona is sold every year.

Due to the relatively low supply of real Kona coffee, many retailers also sell Kona blends. Although Hawaiian law requires these blends to consist of at least 10 percent Kona coffee beans, this law does not apply to other parts of the country.

While Kona coffee growers do not have a trademark right to the name “Kona,” Kona coffee lawsuits claim that using the name should be governed by laws similar to the regulations around the use of the term “Champagne.”

What Retailers May Be Mislabeling Coffee?

Several retailers are suspected of selling mislabeled Kona and Blue Mountain coffee in recent deceptive labeling lawsuits. Retailers under investigation for possible deceptive labeling include:

• Amazon
• Albertsons Companies Inc.
• BCC Assets LLC
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.
• Cameron’s Coffee and Distribution Co.
• Copper Mood Coffee LLC
• CostPlus/WorldMarket
• Gold Coffee Roasters Inc.
• Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Ltd. LLC
• Java LLC
• MNS LLC
• Marmaxx Operating Corp.
• Mulvadi Corp.
• Pacific Coffee Inc.
• Safeway Inc.
• Sprouts Farmers Inc.
• The Kroger Co.

If you have purchased Kona coffee or Blue Mountain coffee from one of the retailers listed above, it’s possible you may have been sold lower quality coffee at a markup.

Michael and Mark’s Kona Coffee Lawsuit is Case 2:19-cv-00305, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Join a Free Kona Coffee & Blue Mountain Coffee Investigation

If you purchased Kona Coffee or Blue Mountain Coffee because you believed it was from the Kona District of Hawaii or the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, you may qualify to join this Kona coffee false advertising class action lawsuit investigation.

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