HARRISBURG — A woman has filed a class-action suit against a food manufacturer over allegations that it falsely represented its cheese products of being “100 percent” cheese with “no fillers.”
Karen Ford, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, filed a lawsuit on April 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Kraft Heinz Foods Company, citing alleged violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practice and Consumer Protection Law, unjust enrichment, violation of the Magnus-Moss Warranty Act, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of warranty.
Ford sued over the defendant’s grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese products, which she says are advertised as consisting of only “100 percent” Parmesan and/or Romano cheese. The plaintiff claims that the cheese products are advertised as containing “no fillers,” but independent testing allegedly shows that 3.8 percent of the product is not cheese, but an anti-clumping agent derived from wood chips.
The plaintiff avers that the defendant has been fraudulently misrepresenting the product and has sold millions of dollars worth of cheese products under its allegedly false advertisements to her and all members of the class.
Ford seeks class-action designation, compensatory and punitive damages, statutory interest, penalties, injunctive and/or declaratory relief, costs, prejudgment interest, attorney fees, and a trial by jury. She is represented by Charles E. Schaffer of Levin Fishbone, Sedran & Berman, in Philadelphia; Charles J. LaDuca of Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca LLP, in Bethesda, Maryland; Melissa W. Wolchansky of Halunen Law, in Minneapolis; and Michael McShane of Audet & Partners LLP, in San Francisco.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Case number 2:16-cv-00398-MRH