ABC Stores, Mulvadi Kona coffee $19.8 class action settlement

ABC Stores and Mulvadi agreed to pay a combined total of more than $19.7 million as part of a class action settlement to resolve claims that they misrepresented their coffee products as originating in the Kona region of Hawaii, allegedly harming genuine Kona coffee farmers.

The settlement benefits individuals and entities who farmed Kona coffee in the Kona District and sold their Kona coffee between Feb. 27, 2015, and April 25, 2023.

According to the class action lawsuit, numerous retailers and coffee companies have intentionally marketed their coffee products as “Kona” coffee in order to capitalize on the reputation of the region’s high-quality coffee beans. In reality, these products allegedly do not contain Kona-region coffee beans and only serve to harm the reputation of the region’s farmers.

ABC Stores is a convenience store chain based in Honolulu with locations in Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, Las Vegas and Guam. Mulvadi Corp. is a coffee company that sells primarily “Hawaiian” coffee products.

ABC Stores and Mulvadi haven’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve the allegations. ABC Stores will contribute $12 million to the settlement fund, while Mulvadi will contribute $7.775 million.

Under the terms of the Kona coffee settlement, class members can receive a cash payment based on their reported sales volumes during the class period. No payment estimates are available at this time. 

In addition to providing cash to the settlement fund, ABC Stores and Mulvadi agreed to change their labeling practices for coffee products labeled as containing Kona-region coffee beans.

The deadline for exclusion and objection in the ABC Stores settlement was Aug. 1, 2023. The deadline for exclusion and objection in the Mulvadi settlement was Oct. 20, 2023.

The final approval hearing for the ABC Stores settlement was held Sept. 21, 2023. The final approval hearing for the Mulvadi settlement was held Nov. 30, 2023.

In order to receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by Jan. 29, 2024. Class members who filed a claim in connection with prior Kona coffee grower settlements do not need to submit an additional claim.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals and entities who farmed Kona coffee in the Kona District and sold their Kona coffee between Feb. 27, 2015, and April 25, 2023

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

Tax name and identification numbers (SSN or EIN). Class members must also provide the in-production coffee acreage of their farm for each year from 2015 and 2023.

Claim Form

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

01/29/2024

Case Name

Corker, et al. v. Costco Wholesale Corp., et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00290-RSL, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

Final Hearing

11/30/2023

Settlement Website

KonaCoffeeSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Kona Coffee Farmers Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91232
Seattle, WA 98111
info@KonaCoffeeSettlement.com
833-667-1227

Class Counsel

Nathan T Paine
KARR TUTTLE CAMPBELL

Jason L Lichtman
Daniel E Seltz
Andrew R Kaufman
LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN & BERNSTEIN LLP

Defense Counsel

Kelly G LaPorte
Amanda Jones
Lisa Ayabe  
CADES SCHUTTE LLP

Chuck Choi 
CHOI & ITO