A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Kraft Heinz Food Company, accusing the company of misleading consumers with false advertising. On January 24, 2025, Alyssa Flexer filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The suit alleges that the company falsely marketed its Capri Sun juice pouches as containing "ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS," despite including synthetic citric acid.
The lawsuit centers on claims that Kraft Heinz misled consumers by labeling and advertising its Capri Sun products as all-natural. According to the complaint, this claim is deceptive because the products contain citric acid, which is considered synthetic by both industry standards and the FDA.
Flexer, a Brooklyn resident, purchased the products under the belief they were free from synthetic ingredients. She asserts that had she known citric acid was included, she either would not have purchased the products or would have paid less for them.
Flexer's legal action is based on violations of New York General Business Law §§ 349 and 350, which address deceptive acts and false advertising, respectively.
The lawsuit claims that Kraft Heinz's actions were materially misleading to consumers, particularly as more people seek natural products due to perceived health benefits.
The complaint highlights that Kraft Heinz capitalized on this trend by marketing its juice pouches as natural while using citric acid produced synthetically through industrial processes involving black mold derivatives.
In her pursuit of justice, Flexer seeks several forms of relief. These include compensatory damages for financial losses incurred from purchasing the mislabeled products, as well as punitive damages to deter future misconduct by Kraft Heinz.
Additionally, she requests an injunction to stop further deceptive marketing and corrective advertising to address the public misconceptions created by the false claims.
Representing Flexer is attorney Joshua D. Arisohn of Arisohn LLC, based in Brooklyn, New York. The case has been assigned Case ID 1:25-cv-00414-NCM-TAM.