COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION & RESEARCH ON TOXICS v. STARBUCKS CORP.

Nos. B309227, B310481.

84 Cal.App.5th 879 (2022)

300 Cal. Rptr. 3d 729

COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ON TOXICS, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. STARBUCKS CORPORATION et al., Defendants and Respondents.

Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division Four.

October 26, 2022.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Metzger Law Group, Raphael Metzger and Scott P. Brust for Plaintiff and Appellant.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Daniel M. Kolkey , Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr. , Patrick W. Dennis , Perlette M. Jura , Blaine H. Evanson , Alexander P. Swanson ; Morrison & Foerster and James Schurz for Defendants and Respondents Apffels Coffee, Inc.; Quarter G, Inc.; Brad Barry Company, Ltd.; Caffe Calabria; Caffe Ibis, Inc.; Caribou Coffee Company, Inc.; Cascade Coffee, Inc.; Central Coast Coffee Roasting Co., Inc.; The Coca Cola Company; Coffee Bean International, Inc.; Coffee Roasters of Arizona, Inc.; Community Coffee Company, Inc.; Copper Moon Coffee, LLC; Dona Mireya, Inc.; Eight O'Clock Coffee Company; Equator Coffee & Teas; F. Gavina & Sons, Inc.; Falcon Trading Company, Inc.; Godiva Chocolatier, Inc.; Gold Medal Products Co.; Illy Caffe North America, Inc.; Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Inc.; International Coffee & Tea, LLC; James C. Cannell Coffees, Inc.; JBR, Inc.; The J.M. Smucker Company; Kauai Coffee Company LLC; Keurig Dr Pepper; The Kraft Heinz Company; Lavazza Premium Coffees Corp.; Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, Inc.; Mayorga Coffee, LLC; Melitta U.S.A., Inc.; Montana Coffee Traders, Inc.; Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, Inc.; Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, LLC; Nestle USA, Inc.; New England Partnership, Inc.; Paradise Beverages, Inc.; Peerless Coffee Co., Inc.; Peet's Operating Company, Inc.; Quartermaine Coffee Roasters; Regal Commodities; Rowland Coffee Roasters, Inc.; S & D Coffee, Inc.; Sara Lee Corporation; Smucker Foodservice, Inc.; Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc.; Starbucks Corporation; Starbucks Holding Company; Steep & Brew, Inc.; Verve Pacific Avenue Café, LLC; Victor Allen's Coffee, LLC; Vilore Foods Company, Inc.; and Zavida Coffee Company, Inc.

Varner & Brandt, Richard D. Marca and Angelica Acosta Samaniego for Defendant and Respondent Stater Bros Markets.

O'Melveny & Myers, Dawn Sestito   Adam Levine and Kate Ikehara for Defendants and Respondents Trader Joe's Company and Mountanos Brothers Coffee Company.

Blaxter Blackman and J.T. Wells Blaxter for Defendants and Respondents Whole Foods Market California, Inc., and Allegro Coffee Company.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Megan Irwin for Defendant and Respondent Kerry Inc.

Aronowitz Skidmore Lyon, Lawrence E. Skidmore and Kathleen C. Lyon and Erin J. Tognetti for Defendant and Respondent L. Paul Phillips.

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, Trenton H. Norris and Brian K. Condon for Defendant and Respondent Dunkin' Brands, Inc.

Rogers Joseph O'Donnell, Renee D. Wasserman and Alecia Cotton for Defendants and Respondents Costco Wholesale Corporation and Bristol Farms.

Nixon Peabody, Gregory P. O'Hara and Lauren M. Michals for Defendants and Respondents Ralphs Grocery Company and The Kroger Co.

Norton, Rose Fulbright US, Jeffrey B. Margulies and Lauren Shoor for Defendants and Respondents Target Corporation; Safeway Inc.; Albertsons LLC; Sprouts Farmers Markets LLC; Reily Foods Company; and H.N. Fernandez, Inc.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Thomas L. Van Wyngarden and Stephanie Angkadjaja for Defendants and Respondents Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Sam's West, Inc.

Rob Bonta , Attorney General, Edward H. Ochoa , Assistant Attorney General, Laura J. Zuckerman and Tatiana K. Gaur , Deputy Attorneys General, for California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as Amicus Curiae.


OPINION

INTRODUCTION

The Council for Education and Research on Toxics (CERT) brought these actions under Proposition 651 (Prop. 65) against respondents, dozens of companies that roast, distribute, or sell coffee.2 CERT claimed that respondents had...

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