NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – This coffee has less vanilla than it claims, says a new class action lawsuit filed by the New York lawyer who has filed dozens of lawsuits over vanilla-flavored products.
Anassa Miller is the named plaintiff in a proposed class action filed by Sheehan & Associates on June 1 against TC Heartland, the maker of a Java House Vanilla Cold Brew Frappe that can be bought in stores and online.
“The representation of the product’s flavor as ‘vanilla’ is misleading because it contains less vanilla than expected relative to its total flavoring and its vanilla taste is enhanced by non-vanilla flavors, not disclosed to consumers,” says the complaint.
Lawyer Spencer Sheehan says vanilla is considered at a high risk for food fraud because of the effects natural disasters and unstable production can have on the areas that produce it.
He highlights “Natural Flavor” that is listed in the coffee’s ingredients. Vanilla does not appear on the list.
“A reasonable consumer cannot follow up or learn the truth that the Product contains vanilla fortified by non-vanilla flavors from reading the ingredient listing of ‘Natural Flavors,’ and they will expect this refers to ‘natural vanilla flavors’ due to the front label ‘Vanilla’ claim,” the lawsuit says.