Rappers Snoop Dogg and Master P allege in a lawsuit that Walmart and Post Foods attempted sabotage and hid their cereal.
Snoop Dogg and Master P revealed that after the rappers initially refused to sell the brand, but later signed a deal in late 2022, the two companies deliberately took the cereal off store shelves and hid it in warehouses to sell Snoop’s brand. They claim it spoiled the cereal. report According to NBC News.
Calvin Broadus, known as Snoop Dogg, and Percy Miller, known as Master P, founded Broadus Foods in 2022. saying They are “committed to stimulating economic empowerment by adding diversity to the grocery store industry and creating opportunities for minority-owned foods and brands.”
According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, the rappers approached Post Consumer Brands, which the lawsuit describes as a “breakfast giant,” to partner with them to get Snoop cereal on store shelves.
Post Foods initially offered to acquire the cereal brand outright, but Snoop Dogg and Master P rejected the offer, saying they wanted to stick to their company’s goal of promoting minority-owned businesses. The lawsuit, which adds that selling the brand would prevent him from leaving, says he offered it to his family as a legacy business.
Broadus Foods and Post Foods ultimately reached an agreement on December 13, 2022, allowing Post to take over all aspects of Snoop Cereal’s production, including manufacturing, packaging, retail, sales, distribution, and transportation. signed a contract to do so. Suits added.
In the deal, Broadus Foods and Post Foods agreed to split profits, with Post “treating Snoop Cereal as one of its own brands” and offering the cereal to “Walmart, Target, Kroger and Amazon. The company has reportedly agreed to sell to major retailers including
But Post Foods did not treat Snoop Cereal “on par with its own brand,” the lawsuit alleges, even though the cereal sold well in stores.
“Because Walmart is the largest seller of Post products, Snoop Cereal should have been placed on Walmart shelves next to dozens of other Post branded cereals,” the complaint states. “Unbeknownst to Broadus Foods, Post did not support their goals and dreams and had no intention of treating Snoop Cereals as equal to their own brand.”
The complaint further alleges that Post Foods treated the Snoop Dogg and Master P cereal brands this way because the rappers “refused to sell Snoop Cereals entirely.”
“Post entered into a false arrangement under which it could exclude Broadus Foods from the market and thereby prevent its competitors from selling or manufacturing Snoop Cereal,” the complaint alleges.
In one example, the lawsuit alleges that 200 boxes of Snoop cereal that had been sitting in a Walmart store in Wisconsin for months were never removed from storage or placed in the cereal aisle.
“In November and December 2023, Walmart stores consistently indicated that Snoop Cereal was out of stock and indicated that it was not available for purchase online,” the complaint alleges. “A Walmart store manager told customers there was no Snoop cereal in the store.”
Snoop Dogg and Master P are represented by prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump. They allege breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, collusion and conspiracy, and are seeking more than $50,000 in damages, court costs, attorney’s fees, and “further relief determined by the jury.” I’m asking for a trial. by the court. ”
you can Follow Alana Mastrangelo Facebook and on X/Twitter @ARmastrangeloand further Instagram.
