UPDATE: On March 13, 2023, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California (the “Court”) certified a class in an ongoing litigation between the End Purchaser Plaintiffs (referred to as the “EPPs”) and StarKist Co. (“StarKist”), Dongwon Industries Co. Ltd. (“DWI”), Lion Capital LLP (“Lion Capital”), Big Catch Cayman LP (“Big Catch”), and Lion Capital (Americas), Inc. (“Lion America”), (collectively, “Non-Settling Defendants”). A copy of the Order is available here. The deadline to opt out is July 17, 2023.

NOTE: This website provides information for end purchasers of Canned or Pouched Tuna Products. If you are a direct purchaser who bought Packaged Tuna between June 1, 2011 and July 31, 2015, please visit www.TunaDirectPurchaserCase.com.

What is this lawsuit about?

The lawsuit claims that from June 1, 2011 to July 1, 2015, Defendants Tri-Union Seafoods LLC d/b/a Chicken of the Sea International and Thai Union Group PCL (collectively “COSI”), StarKist Co. (“StarKist”) and its parent company, Dongwon Industries Co. Ltd (collectively “StarKist”), and Bumble Bee Foods, LLC (“Bumble Bee”), Lion Capital LLP (“Lion Capital”), Lion Capital (Americas), Inc. (“Lion America”), and Big Catch Cayman LP (“Big Catch”) participated in an unlawful conspiracy to raise, fix, maintain, or stabilize the price of Packaged Tuna products at an artificially high level in violation of antitrust and unfair competition laws.

Those who sued are called the End Payer Plaintiffs or EPPs. The companies they sued are called the Defendants. The Defendants include COSI, StarKist, and Bumble Bee and its parent companies Lion Capital, Lion America, and Big Catch. The EPPs have already reached a settlement (the “COSI Settlement”) with COSI (the “Settling Defendants”). The COSI Settlement notice has already been issued, and the claims deadline for the COSI Settlement has passed. Bumble Bee is in bankruptcy. The litigation is continuing with StarKist, Lion Capital, Lion America, and Big Catch (the “Non-Settling Defendants”).

If you have already opted out of the COSI Settlement Class or submitted a claim with respect to the COSI Settlement, you do not need to do anything else at this time to make a claim or exclusion with respect to the COSI Settlement Class. You do, however, now have an opportunity to change your mind regarding your participation in the COSI Settlement Class.

For more information regarding the pending class action litigation or the COSI Settlement, please visit the FAQ page for answers to many common questions.

Am I a member of the Class?

The Class includes all persons and entities who resided in Arizona, Arkansas, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, who indirectly purchased Packaged Tuna in cans or pouches smaller than forty ounces for end consumption and not for resale, produced by any Defendant or any current or former subsidiary or affiliate thereof, or any co-conspirator during the period from June 1, 2011 to July 1, 2015 (the “Class Period”).

The Class excludes purchases of meal kits. Also excluded from the Class is the Court and anyone who opted out of the COSI Settlement.

If you are a Class Member, your rights will be affected whether you act or not. Please read below to view your rights and options.