Last month, a California man, Kevin Branca, filed a class action lawsuit against Bai Brands, and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. In addition, the lawsuit also names a few individuals, including Larry Young, the president of Dr. Pepper, Bai founder Ben Weiss, and Justin Timberlake. According to the lawsuit, Timberlake was added to the lawsuit in an amended complaint early last week on claims that he worked with Bai to help “deceive consumers by saying their drinks are all-natural when they actually are not.”
Last month, a California man, Kevin Branca, filed a class action lawsuit against Bai Brands, and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. In addition, the lawsuit also names a few individuals, including Larry Young, the president of Dr. Pepper, Bai founder Ben Weiss, and Justin Timberlake. According to the lawsuit, Timberlake was added to the lawsuit in an amended complaint early last week on claims that he worked with Bai to help “deceive consumers by saying their drinks are all-natural when they actually are not.”
According to Branca’s complaints, “Bai’s labeling is false and misleading, saying they contain only natural ingredients and are flavored only with natural ingredients when they actually contain undisclosed artificial flavors in violation of state and federal law.” In addition, the lawsuit alleges that the products in question “contain a synthetic chemical flavoring compound identified as malic acid, which is an inexpensive synthetic chemical used in processed food products to make the taste like tangy fresh fruit.” Hardly all-natural.
So why was Timberlake named in the lawsuit? In what capacity did he work for Bai? It started back in 2016 when the musician joined the “board as an investor.” According to Fortune, he actually “has the title of Chief Flavor Officer of Bai Brands.” Around the time he joined the company, he said: “This partnership was created from a shared desire to help people put better ingredients in their bodies without sacrificing taste.”
The lawsuit alleges that, as an investor, Timberlake’s fame, “monetary assistance, creative inputs and marketing of Bai helped elevate the better-for-you and name-recognition of the brand,” despite the synthetic ingredients being added to the drinks. The complaint also alleges that the artist and musician was a knowing participant in deceiving customers, saying:
“Defendant Bai and Defendant Timberlake knowingly entered into a single agreement and/or multiple agreements to commit fraud and other unlawful acts by agreeing to promote artificially flavored beverage products as if they were solely naturally flavored without synthetic chemical ingredients…Timberlake aided this scheme by agreeing to promote the Products and their ingredients on a nationally aired commercial advertisement during the 2017 Super Bowl, which reached millions of consumers, which was an essential tool to carry out the fraudulent sales and marketing of the Bai Products.”
So what does Branca hope to gain from filing the lawsuit? Well, along with punitive damages, he wants to see an “order requiring Bai Brands and Timberlake to disgorge any money received from the result of the improper and misleading labeling, advertising and marketing.”
Timberlake has yet to comment on the matter.
Sources:
Justin Timberlake Named in Bai Beverage Class Action Lawsuit
Justin Timberlake sued over ‘natural’ beverage brand’s marketing claims
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