Suit claims Meadow Gold is falsely internet marketing its mainland milk as a area product

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Hawaii foods provider has filed a federal lawsuit against Meadow Gold and its associate dairies, stating they are falsely marketing and advertising their mainland milk as a nearby products.

Chad Buck, the head of the Hawaii Foodservice Alliance, suggests Meadow Gold’s milk is imported to Hawaii from California.

But he states the company’s advertising and marketing and labels are misleading, building consumers imagine they’re supporting community.

“Which 1 would I get to support local? You’d probably choose the one particular … that states ‘Hawaii’s Dairy.’ You’d in all probability decide the one particular … that claims produced with aloha,” Buck said.

He extra that Meadow Gold is pricier than its competitors in Hawaii.

Above the very last two many years, Buck states he’s watched about a dozen regional dairies go out of enterprise since they could not compete with mainland operations and price ranges.

In April 2020, then Texas-centered Dean Meals filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and marketed the nostalgic Meadow Gold brand name to a Massive Island dairy farmer.

The organization at this time has a processing plant in Hilo and a new facility in Waipahu, but Buck claims all their milk arrives from out of state.

“It’s not right for the point out. It is not right for dairy farmers in this condition,” Buck stated.

“And if we’re ever likely to develop a sustainable Hawaii yet again, we are not able to let mainland agriculture bring their items into Hawaii and fake that they are community.”

In response to the fit, Meadow Gold claimed it has “never claimed that all our milk is neighborhood.”

Below is Meadow Gold Dairies’ whole assertion:

“Former Significant Island dairy farmer, Bahman Sadeghi assumed functions of Meadow Gold Dairies in May well 2020 to control and retain the legacy of the Meadow Gold brand alive and has been diligently doing work to make the operation much more sustainable. As Hawaii’s sole milk processor, we approach 100% of the milk created in Hawaii and 100% of the milk processed in Hawaii to fulfill the desire for Hawaii’s people that could not perhaps be fulfilled with the present available area dairy farmers.

“We have by no means claimed that all our milk is community, but we do look at ourselves Hawaii’s Dairy since we are committed to Hawaii and its local community and will keep on to be even though we function toward creating a much more sustainable operation.

“Furthermore, every thing we do is with aloha! This is section of our company culture, and we are grateful to the past and existing community dairy farmers who have arrived at out to express their assist for us as we perform with each other to build a far more sustainable community food items process in Hawaii.

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