A woman from New York is taking legal action against Blue Diamond Almonds, claiming that the company misrepresents its smokehouse almonds in a class action lawsuit.
Leela O’Connor, who lives in Harlem, argues that consumers are led to believe the almonds are roasted over real wood fires, when in reality, they are flavored with liquid smoke.
The packaging features bright orange accents and a red background that suggests a connection to fire, which O’Connor feels misleads buyers into thinking they’re experiencing a natural roasting process.
When she discovered that the ingredients included “natural hickory smoked flavors,” O’Connor felt deceived.
She noted in the lawsuit that the term “natural hickory smoke flavor” is essentially a euphemism for “liquid smoke,” which is created by capturing smoke and converting it into a liquid form.
O’Connor referenced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative as part of her motivation for filing the suit.
She pointed out that more consumers are opting for “real” foods and steering clear of heavily processed ingredients amidst a fundamental shift in dietary preferences.
Interestingly, the European Union approved a ban on liquid smoke last year after research linked it to cancer risks, affecting its use in various products, including marinades and processed meats.
O’Connor expressed her frustration that she paid $4.19 for almonds, mistakenly believing they were genuinely smokehouse-made.
Her attorney, Spencer Sheehan from Long Island, filed a lawsuit seeking damages, arguing that “These almonds have never seen the inside of the smokehouse.”
Sheehan, who has made a name for himself as a prominent consumer class action lawyer, is sometimes referred to as the “Vanilla Vigilante.”
In a previous case, he secured a $2.6 million settlement with Blue Diamond regarding misleading claims about their vanilla-flavored almond milk.
“Blue Diamond has been misleading consumers for a long time,” Sheehan told the Post, emphasizing that New Yorkers prefer authenticity.
A somewhat related class action suit was also filed last year in Illinois.
Rachel Kessler, the company’s external attorney, expressed disappointment over Sheehan’s latest case, stating that they are unhappy he has chosen to pursue this particular claim.
