Lawsuit targets Bella Gourmet olive oil blend label

By AI, Created 3:26 PM UTC, May 29, 2026, /AGP/ – A proposed class action in federal court in San Diego accuses Karabetian Import & Distribution of misleading shoppers about Bella Gourmet Foods’ “Canola & Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mediterranean Blend.” The complaint says lab testing found no detectable olive oil in the product and seeks damages, injunctive relief and class certification.

Why it matters: - The lawsuit could force label changes for a grocery product marketed as containing olive oil. - The case also raises potential consumer protection claims over ingredient disclosures and front-label imagery. - If the allegations are proven, the suit could affect how blended oils are labeled and sold in California and beyond.

What happened: - A putative class action was filed May 29, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. - The case is Hallak v. Karabetian Import & Distribution, Inc., No. 3:26-cv-03269-AJB-DDL. - The defendant is Karabetian Import & Distribution, Inc., a Los Angeles-based food distributor. - The complaint targets Bella Gourmet Foods’ product labeled “Canola & Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mediterranean Blend.” - Plaintiff Emmanoel Hallak, a San Diego resident, says he bought the product in September 2025 at a grocery store in El Cajon, California.

The details: - The complaint alleges independent lab testing found no detectable olive oil in the product and says the contents were entirely canola oil. - Plaintiff’s counsel sent a sample to Process NMR Associates, LLC in Poughkeepsie, New York, for ¹H NMR spectroscopy testing. - The testing was performed on a Varian Mercury 300 MHz spectrometer, according to the complaint. - The complaint says the analysis showed complete spectral overlap with canola oil and no resonance peaks characteristic of olive oil. - The label allegedly includes the phrases “Canola Oil & Extra Virgin Olive Oil” and “Mediterranean Blend.” - The packaging also shows an image of olives. - Small-print label text describes the product as a “healthy blend of canola oil and olive oil,” according to the complaint. - The label also carries claims of “Kosher Pareve,” “0% Trans Fat” and “0% Cholesterol.” - The complaint asserts six causes of action: violation of California Health & Safety Code § 112895(b), false advertising, unfair competition, fraud and deceit, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability and unjust enrichment. - The filing alleges three separate violations of California Health & Safety Code § 112895(b): failure to label the product as “mixed vegetable oil,” omission of accurate blend proportions and the absence of olive oil. - The complaint seeks a nationwide class and a California subclass covering purchasers within the four years before filing. - The requested relief includes restitution, disgorgement, compensatory damages, punitive damages, declaratory relief, injunctive relief, prejudgment interest and attorneys’ fees. - Plaintiff has demanded a jury trial. - Karabetian Import & Distribution’s website is the company’s website, which describes the business as a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food distributor serving retailers and foodservice partners across North America. - A copy of the publicly filed complaint is available through the federal court and the filed complaint.

Between the lines: - The complaint relies on lab analysis to argue the front label and imagery suggest olive oil content that the testing did not find. - The case turns on whether the product labeling and packaging create a misleading impression under California law. - The allegations are unproven, and Karabetian Import & Distribution has not yet responded to the complaint.

What’s next: - The court will decide whether the case proceeds as a class action. - The defendant is expected to file a response or other initial motion. - If the case advances, the parties could fight over testing methods, labeling interpretation and damages. - Any label change or settlement would depend on how the court resolves the claims or whether the parties reach an agreement.

The bottom line: - The lawsuit puts Bella Gourmet’s olive oil blend labeling under legal scrutiny and could test how far packaged-food companies can go in marketing blended oils.