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Danone Files Lawsuit Against Chobani Over Protein Claims
Danone has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, alleging that Chobani's new yogurt line exaggerates protein content. The company claims consumers are misled and demands changes to product labels.
A legal battle has erupted among major brands in the global fast-moving consumer goods market. On Monday, Dannon, a U.S.-based yogurt producer and Danone's main partner, officially filed a lawsuit against its biggest commercial rival, Chobani.
The company accused its competitor of making misleading claims to consumers by asserting that its new yogurt line contains higher protein content.
In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Danone alleged that Chobani exaggerated the protein levels on the multi-serving packaging of its "Chobani 20G Protein" product, which it positioned as a direct competitor to Danone's Oikos Pro in the ultra-high protein yogurt segment.
CHOBANI ACCUSED OF HIDING THE TRUTH In the complaint submitted by Danone, it was stated, "Knowing that healthcare providers and the federal government encourage the public to choose foods with higher protein concentrations to protect their health, Chobani's behavior is particularly insidious."
The legal team representing Chobani, which also handles other misleading advertising lawsuits filed by Danone against the company, did not immediately respond to media requests for comment. The Oikos Pro product contains a full 20 grams of pure protein per 5.3-ounce serving, a standard portion size in the food industry.
Danone, the plaintiff, argued that formulating dairy products with such protein density is a "difficult and costly" process in production, while Chobani allegedly chose to artificially inflate portion sizes on yogurt containers instead of increasing the actual yogurt content.
According to the allegations in the court documents, if the defendant company fully complied with the portion size regulations enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Chobani's portion units would actually contain less than 18 grams of protein.
Danone's management claimed that due to this structural deception, the "Chobani 20G Protein" product is essentially equivalent to the "Oikos Triple Zero" brand, which contains 15 to 18 grams of protein per serving and is sold at a lower price segment in the market.
The legal complaint noted, "If consumers knew the truth, they would choose Oikos Pro for a genuine ultra-high protein option or Oikos Triple Zero for a better price instead of the Chobani product."
FOURTH LAWSUIT In the legal process, Danone is seeking monetary compensation, the amount of which has not yet been determined, and mandatory changes to the allegedly deceptive product labels.
This latest lawsuit marks at least the fourth major legal dispute between Danone and Chobani, the two largest sellers in the global Greek-style strained yogurt market, since 2016.
Meanwhile, Chobani has requested a federal judge in Manhattan to dismiss another independent lawsuit filed by Danone, which accuses Chobani of copying the packaging design and "Bright & Mellow" slogan of Danone's cold brew coffee product line. The defendant Chobani holding's headquarters are located in New York State.
Danone's headquarters are in Paris, France, while its U.S. subsidiary operates out of White Plains, New York.
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