A federal judge in New York has ruled that significant antitrust and false advertising claims against Keurig Green Mountain can proceed to trial. The decision is a key development in a legal dispute dating back over a decade, which alleges the company unlawfully protected its dominance in the single-serve coffee pod market.
The lawsuit, brought by plaintiffs including Rogers Family Company and TreeHouse Foods, claims Keurig kept pod prices artificially high after its primary K-Cup patent expired in 2012. The ruling allows several central allegations to move forward, including those concerning restrictive contracts Keurig established with major coffee roasters, packaging suppliers, and distributors that allegedly limited competition.
Specifically, the court will allow examination of agreements that may have prevented brands like Starbucks and Dunkin' from competing with Keurig in the single-serve space. The judge also upheld claims that Keurig made "literally false" statements regarding the safety and performance of third-party pods in its brewers. While some claims were dismissed, the core of the antitrust case will now advance toward a potential trial.