You are currently viewing the site for the prior Settlements in this lawsuit. For information about the new proposed Settlement, click here.

What is the lawsuit about?

Settlements were reached with certain Defendants, known as the Settling Defendants, in a class action lawsuit. In the lawsuit, the Plaintiffs allege that the Settling Defendants falsely advertised and falsely designated coffee as originating from the Kona region in violation of the federal Lanham Act. Although the Settling Defendants deny Plaintiffs’ claims for liability and damages, they agreed to settle the class action to avoid the time and expense of continuing the lawsuit.

Who are the Settling Defendants?

The Settling Defendants are BCC Assets LLC d/b/a Boyer’s Coffee (“BCC”), Cameron’s Coffee and Distribution Company (“Cameron’s), Copper Moon Coffee, LLC (“Copper Moon”), Cost Plus Inc. (“Cost Plus”), and Pacific Coffee, Inc., d/b/a Maui Coffee Company (“MCC”), Gold Coffee Roasters, Inc., Costa Rican Gold Coffee Company, Inc., and John Parry (“Gold”), Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco”), The TJX Companies, Inc. and Marshalls of MA, Inc. (“TJX”), The Kroger Co. (“Kroger”), Safeway Inc. and Albertsons Companies Inc. (“Safeway/Albertsons”), Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Co., Ltd. (“HIKC”), and L&K Coffee Company ("L&K").

There are other Defendants in this lawsuit who have not reached settlements with the Plaintiffs at the time.

What do the settlements provide?

The Settlements provided money for Settlement Class Members, required the Settling Defendants to modify the label of any coffee products labeled as “Kona” or “Kona Blend”, and required certain Settling Defendants to create labeling requirements for vendors of such coffee products. Under the Settlements, the Settling Defendants were required to make payments totaling $21,405,750. More information about the amounts the Settlements provide is available on the Settlement Benefits page.

Who is Included in the Settlement Class?

The Settlement Class includes all persons and entities who farmed Kona coffee in the Kona District and then sold their Kona coffee between February 27, 2015, and October 4, 2022. Excluded from the Settlement Class are the Settling Defendants, any Judges to whom the case is assigned, and their immediate families and staffs.

Detailed information on each of the options listed below can be found in the Long Form Notices, which are available for download from the Important Documents page. The deadlines by which to exercise each of these options have now passed. Information on the applicable deadlines can be found on the Key Dates page.