Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP Announces a Class Action Settlement Notice If You Bought Fresh or Frozen Whole Bird Chicken, Chicken Breast or Tenderloins Between January 1, 2012 and July 31, 2019

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SEATTLE, March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 

United States District Court
In Re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (End-User Consumer Plaintiffs)
Case No. 1:16-cv-08637 (N.D. Ill.)

Class Action Notice

Did you buy fresh or frozen whole bird chicken, chicken breast, or tenderloins between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2019? If so, you might be able to get money from a class action settlement worth $203.35 million.

Why did you get this notice?

You received a notice because our records show you bought chicken at a grocery or club store, so you may be able to get a payment from this lawsuit. New Settlements worth $22.5 million have been reached for chicken consumers.

You may be a part of the group of people affected, called the "Class." The Court will hold a hearing on June 30, 2025, to decide if it will approve the New Settlements. Your rights may be affected.

This notice tells you how to get more information about the settlement.

If you want to file a claim, you must do so by: July 31, 2025.

You can file a claim and learn more at: www.overchargedforchicken.com.

Key things to know:

• This is an important legal document.
• If you take no action, you will still be bound by the settlement, and your rights will be affected.
• If you have questions or need assistance, please email [email protected] or call 1-877-888-5428.

What is this case about?

The people who sued say that chicken processors limited the supply and fixed the price of chicken from January 1, 2012, to July 31, 2019, which broke the law and caused people to pay more for chicken. Defendants say that they did not do anything wrong.

Who are the New Settling Defendants?

New settlements worth $22.5 million were made in a lawsuit on behalf of consumers of chicken. The New Settling Defendants are: Norman W. Fries, Inc. d/b/a Claxton Poultry Farms; Foster Farms, LLC and Foster Poultry Farms; Harrison Poultry, Inc.; House of Raeford Farms, Inc.; JCG Foods of Alabama, LLC, JCG Foods of Georgia, LLC, Koch Foods, Inc., and Koch Meat Co., Inc.; Mountaire Farms Inc., Mountaire Farms, LLC, and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc.; O.K. Foods, Inc., O.K. Farms, Inc., and O.K. Industries, Inc.; Perdue Farms, Inc. and Perdue Foods LLC; Sanderson Farms, Inc., Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Foods Division), Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Processing Division), and Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Production Division); Wayne Farms, LLC; and Simmons Foods, Inc. and Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc.

Am I included?

You are part of the New Settlements if you are a person or entity who indirectly purchased the following types of raw chicken, whether fresh or frozen: whole birds (with or without giblets), whole cut-up birds purchased within a package, breast cuts or tenderloin cuts, but excluding chicken that is marketed as halal, kosher, free range, organic, diced, minced, ground, seasoned, flavored, or breaded—from defendants or co-conspirators for personal consumption in the Repealer Jurisdictions (or included states) between January 1, 2012, to July 31, 2019.

You must have bought the chicken in one of the "Repealer Jurisdictions." These states are: California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, or Wisconsin.

If you are not sure if you are included, you can get more information at www.overchargedforchicken.com.

Are there other settlements?

Yes. In 2021, a judge confirmed past settlements totaling $181 million between Plaintiffs and the following companies: Fieldale Farms Corporation; George's Inc. and George's Farms, Inc.; Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc., Mar-Jac Poultry MS, LLC, Mar-Jac Poultry AL, LLC, Mar-Jac AL/MS, Inc., Mar-Jac Poultry, LLC, and Mar-Jac Holdings, Inc.; Peco Foods, Inc.; Pilgrim's Pride Corporation; and Tyson Foods, Inc., Tyson Chicken, Inc., Tyson Breeders, Inc., and Tyson Poultry, Inc.

How can I get a payment?

Already Filed a Claim?

If you already filed a claim in the previous settlements, you do not need to submit another claim. You will automatically get a payment from the New Settlements.

New Claim?

If you did not file a claim in the previous settlements and did not opt out of the previous settlements, you must complete and submit a Claim Form here by July 31, 2025, to be eligible to get a payment. Your claim may be able to get a payment from all settlements.

You do not need to submit any documents with your Claim Form at this time, but the Settlement Administrator can ask you to provide documents or proof to support your claim. If you don't provide documents or proof when asked, your claim may be denied.

Update Previous Claim?

If you filed a claim before and want to update your information, please contact the Settlement Administrator by email at [email protected]. Include your name, previous address, and email address and the information you want to update.

Payment amounts will depend on the number of valid claims filed and how much you bought and paid for your eligible chicken products.

How are the attorneys being paid?

Co-Lead Counsel may ask the Court to approve attorney fees up to 33.3% of the New Settlement Funds (or $7,450,000) and expenses and costs up to $9.75 million, and $2,000 in a service award for each named plaintiff in this case. If they make this request, it will be filed at least 14 days before the objection deadline and posted on the website www.overchargedforchicken.com.

Do I have other rights?

Yes! You can still exclude yourself from some of the New Settlements. If you did not previously exclude yourself from the Class in 2022, want to keep your right to sue some of the New Settling Defendants (Harrison Poultry, House of Raeford, Koch Foods, Mountaire, O.K. Foods, Sanderson Farms, Wayne Farms, and/or Simmons) for the claims in this lawsuit, and do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement Agreements with these New Settling Defendants, you must exclude yourself by May 12, 2025. If you choose not to be a part of the New Settlements, you won't receive any money from them.

You have the right to object to the New Settlements that you're a part of, but you need to do it by May 12, 2025. More information about how to opt out or object can be found at www.overchargedforchicken.com.

The Court will hold a hearing on June 30, 2025, 10:00 a.m. CT, to consider whether to approve the New Settlements and any request for attorney fees and expenses, notice and administration costs, and service awards. You or your own lawyer may ask to appear and speak at the hearing at your own expense, but you do not have to.

This is just a summary. For more information, visit www.overchargedforchicken.com or call 1-877-888-5428. Please do not contact the Court.

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP