Hansen’s Beverages and More

In September 2014, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint against Monster Energy Company, a subsidiary of Monster Beverage Corporation and the company responsible for marketing and distributing Hansen’s beverages. The complaint, which was originally filed against Monster Beverage Corporation (the holding company) in April 2014, was transferred from state court to federal court in May 2014. According to plaintiffs, the company deceptively labels several products, including Hansen’s sodas, Blue Sky sodas, Hubert’s Lemonade, Hansen’s Smoothie Nectar drinks, Hansen’s Junior Juice, and other Hansen’s Juice products. Among other things, they allege that the company:

• Misleadingly labels products as “natural” when they actually have artificial, synthetic, and chemically processed ingredients;
• Misleadingly labels products as having “no preservatives” when they actually contain chemical preservatives, such as ascorbic acid, citric acid, and vitamin E;
• Misleadingly labels products as made with 100 percent juice when they actually have synthetic, non-juice ingredients;
• Claims juice products with concentrated fruit juices have “no sugar added,” in violation of federal regulations, which prohibit “no sugar added” claims on products with concentrated fruit juice;
• Fails to indicate that products are not “low calorie” or “calorie reduced” as required by law for high calorie products; and
• Fails to adequately disclose that the juices are made from concentrate, as required by federal regulations.

(Marshall et al v. Monster Beverage Corporation d/b/a Hansen Beverage Company, and Does 1-50, Case No. 14-cv-06311, N. D. CA.).