Green Mountain, Keurig Sued for Defective Brewers

Single-serve coffee market leader <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective-Green-Mountain-Keurig-Brewers-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Green-Mountain-Starbucks">Green Mountain Coffee, is being accused of committing consumer fraud, breached warranty of obligations, and of being unjustly enriched over a number of its Keurig Reservoir Brewing Systems. A recent deal united Green Mountain Coffee, Keurig, and Starbucks.

The class action lawsuit was filed against Green Mountain Coffee on behalf of consumers who purchased the following Keurig Reservoir Brewing Systems, as far back as February 18, 2008:

• Keurig® Platinum Brewing System (model series B70)
• Keurig Special Edition Brewing System (model series B60)
• Keurig Elite Brewing System (model series B40)
• Keurig B155 Brewing System
• Keurig OfficePROâ„¢ Brewing System
• Keurig MINI Plus Brewing System (model series B31)
• Keurig B130 In-Room Brewing System
• Keurig B150 Brewing System
• Keurig B140 Brewing System
• Breville Brewing System with Keurig Brewed® Technology
• Cuisinart® Brewing System with Keurig Brewed Technology
• Mr. Coffee® Brewing System with Keurig Brewed Technology
• Keurig B200 Brewing System

The action alleges that both Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. and Keurig, Inc. participated in illegal conduct in how they marketed and sold these Reservoir Brewers, which were, according to court documents, falsely advertised. The performance and durability of the Keurig Reservoir Brewers were allegedly falsely misrepresented, according to the action.

Green Mountain and Keurig are also accused of falsely stating that the Keurig Reservoir systems would brew specific amounts of specific beverages, but did not, due to defective components, which resulted in the machines brewing less than the amount indicated.

This defect, according to the action, caused the Reservoir Brewing Systems to fail, compromising the beverages’ quality, which could have led consumers to use more than the one specified K-Cup® to brew a single beverage. The cups—so-called “coffee pods”—are placed in a chamber in the system. The beverages—coffee, tea, cocoa, and iced beverages, for example—are brewed using one K-Cup; however, the defect has caused consumers to use more than one of the pods per each cup brewed.

In addition to consumers having to spend more than anticipated and being sold a defective product, it seems that Green Mountain and Keurig were aware that the machines were defective, but did not recall their defective brewers. Worse, according to the action, by April 28, 2010, Keurig and Green Mountain were having conference call conversations with investors and analysts because defective machine returns were reducing Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ profits. By the following February, the defendants finally admitted that the new Keurig Reservoir Brewers were not as “robust” as in earlier years.

Meanwhile, customers have been complaining about the defective brewers to Green Mountain and Keurig as far back as 2008 but claim to have received new, but equally defective replacement brewers.