Cascade Ice Class Action Says Coconut Water Doesn’t Contain Coconut

Cascade Ice Coconut Water does not contain any coconut even though it has prominently-placed pictures of coconuts on its label, according to a class action lawsuit filed last week in Oregon federal court.

“We now live in a world of alternative facts, where left is right and up is down,” the Cascade Ice Coconut Water class action lawsuit states. “Apparently buoyed by an entitlement to lie, advertisers increasingly cross the Rubicon of puffery to deceit and trickery – ‘alternative advertising.’”

Plaintiff Vicky Silva says she purchased a bottle of Unique Beverage Company LLC’s Cascade Ice Coconut Water in February, and says she felt “tricked” when she discovered the product didn’t taste anything like coconut.

She subsequently read the entire label and was surprised to find out that none of the listed ingredients contained coconut. Near the nutrition facts, “buried in between,” the label reportedly indicated that the product contains no coconut.

According to the Cascade Ice class action lawsuit, when she complained to the manufacturer, she was informed that the product is actually a sparkling water product that is flavored with all natural fruit essences.

“Defendant sells its so-called coconut water products in hopes of cashing in on the billion-dollar coconut water market,” Silva alleges in the coconut water class action lawsuit. “But using actual coconut, coconut water, coconut juice, coconut pulp, or coconut jelly in its product would cost defendant more money.”

Coconut water is reportedly associated with health qualities such as detoxification, prevention of dehydration and kidney stone prevention, according to the Cascade Ice Coconut Water class action lawsuit.

Even though the Cascade Ice Coconut Water doesn’t actually contain real coconut, Unique Beverage places large colorful images of coconuts and the word “Coconut” prominently on the label, the coconut water class action lawsuit alleges. This labeling is used to entice consumers seeking products containing actual coconut to purchase the Cascade Ice Coconut Water product instead, even though it allegedly does not contain coconut and does not provide the same health qualities of coconut.

According to the Cascade Ice Coconut Water class action lawsuit, every customer who purchased the “so-called” coconut water product suffered a monetary loss because they paid for a product that did not have the expected health properties associated with coconut.

Silva has filed the coconut water class action lawsuit on behalf of all Oregonians who purchased Cascade Ice Coconut Water in Oregon within the last year. She claims Unique Beverage has violated the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act because the labels on the Cascade Ice Coconut Water falsely represent that the product contains coconut and the health qualities associated with coconut.

The plaintiff is represented by Micheal Fuller and Rex Daines of Olsen Daines PC, Mark Geragos and Ben Meiselas of Geragos & Geragos, as well as Robert Le and Kelly Jones.

The Cascade Ice Coconut Water Class Action Lawsuit is Vicky Silva v. Unique Beverage Company LLC, Case No. 3:17-cv-00391-HZ, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Portland Division.