Kefir Projected Class Action Survives Motion to Dismiss

A federal court has denied Lifeway Foods’ motion to dismiss a putative class action alleging the company fraudulently marketed its kefir beverage as 99 percent lactose-free despite containing 4 percent lactose. Block v. Lifeway Foods, No. 17-1717 (D.N. Ill., entered September 6, 2017).

“[I]n some other cases, consumers have brought consumer fraud claims against food manufacturers based on discrepancies between the quality of the food and the manufacturer’s representations that are so minor as to be immaterial,” the court noted. “[The plaintiff’s] allegation that Lifeway’s plain, low-fat kefir contains 4%—instead of less than 1%—lactose may seem on its face to constitute a similarly immaterial discrepancy. But [the plaintiff] alleges that he purchased Lifeway’s kefir because it is nearly lactose-free and he wanted the health benefits that come from not consuming lactose. Products with 4% lactose—such as regular milk—are anything but lactose-free.” The court dismissed two breach-of-warranty claims, noting that a buyer must notify a seller of “the troublesome nature of the transaction or be barred from recovering,” but allowed five claims to continue.