WattAgNet: Sparboe Farms' egg pricing legal battle settled

Grocery chains and food vendors drop case alleging Sparboe took part in egg pricing scheme, while Sparboe drops claims it was subjected to unwarranted boycotts

Release Date: 2014-06-20

A six-year legal battle involving a group of grocery chains and food vendors accusing egg producer Sparboe Farms of taking part in a scheme to hike prices on eggs has ended. The group of vendors has dropped its claims against the egg producer, while Sparboe Farms has dropped its claims that it was subjected to unwarranted boycotts.

U.S. District Judge Gene Pratter on June 18 signed off on the case. It is not known whether any money was exchanged between the two parties to get the litigation dropped, but both parties have agreed to pay their own legal fees and court costs.

With the legal allegations in the past, Sparboe, through its attorney, has reaffirmed that it did nothing illegal or immoral.

“Sparboe disagrees with the viability of plaintiffs' claims against Sparboe, denies any liability to plaintiffs and denies that it engaged in any improper or illegal conduct," Troy Hutchinson, an attorney representing Sparboe Farms, told Law360. "Sparboe is pleased to put the litigation behind it."

Companies involved in the litigation against Sparboe Farms included Safeway, SuperValu, Kroger, Hy-Vee, Albertson's, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., H.E. Butt Grocery Co., Conopco., Giant Eagle Inc., Publix, Winn-Dixie, Roundy's Supermarkets, H.J. Heinz Co., C&S Wholesale Grocers, Kraft Foods Global, General Mills, Nestle USA, Kellogg Co. and Walgreen Co.