Robert Briseno et al versus ConAgra Foods Inc [2011]

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CASENO.:

1MilbergLLPJEFFS.WESTERMAN(SBN94559)2jwesterman@milberg.comOneCaliforniaPlaza3300S.GrandAvenue,Suite3900LosAngeles,CA900714Telephone:(213)617-1200FacsImile:(213)617-1975

6CounselforPlaintiff

[AdditionalCounselListedonSignaturePage]UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURTCENTRALDISTRICTOFCALIFORNIA

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537

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v.CLASS

ACTION

COMPLAINTFOR:ROBERTBRISENO,individuallyandonbehalfofallotherssimilarlysituated,Plaintiff,(1)ViolationofCaliforniaBusiness

&

ProfessionsCode

§

17500

etseq.;

(2)ViolationofCaliforniaBusiness

&

ProfessionsCode

§

17200

etseq.;

(3)ViolationofCaliforniaCivilCode

§

1750

etseq.;

and~(4)BreachofExpressWarranty

~DEMANDFORJURYTRIAL

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CONAGRAFOODS,INC.,Defendant.

ORIGINAL

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CLASSACTIONCOMPLAINT

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TABLEOFCONTENTSPage

3NATUREOFACTIONANDSUMMARYOFALLEGATIONS14JURISDICTIONANDVENUE25THEPARTIES36FACTUALALLEGATIONS37ConAgraAdvertisesWessonOilsAs"100%Natural"38WessonOilsAreFromGeneticallyModifiedOrganisms.49GeneticallyModifiedOrganismsAreNot"100%Natural"610CLASSALLEGATIONS811COUNTIViolationofCaliforniaBusiness

&

ProfessionsCode

§

17500

etseq

912COUNTIIViolationofCaliforniaBusiness

&

ProfessionsCode

§

17200

et

13

seq

1014COUNTIIIViolationoftheCaliforniaConsumersLegalRemediesAct-Cal.Civ.Code

§

1750

etseq.

(InjunctiveReliefOnly)1215COUNTIVBreachofExpressWarranty1416PRAYERFORRELIEF1517DEMANDFORJURYTRIAL1618192021

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rLASSACTIONCOMPLAINT

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CASENO.:

ICLASSACTIONCOMPLAINT

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ICASENO.:

1PlaintiffRobertBriseno("Plaintiff'),individuallyandonbehalfofallothers2similarlysituated,allegesthefollowinguponpersonalknowledgeastohisown3actsand,astoallotherallegations,uponinformationandbelief,andinvestigation4bycounsel.

5NATUREOFACTIONANDSUMMARYOFALLEGATIONS

61.Plaintiffbringsthisclassactiononbehalfofhimselfandaclassof7personswhopurchasedanyofthefollowingcookingoilssoldundertheWesson8brandname:CanolaOil,VegetableOil,ComOil,andBestBlend(collectively9referredtohereinas"WessonOils").Wessonisabrandowned,developed,10marketed,andsoldbydefendantConAgraFoods,Inc.("ConAgra"or11"Defendant").122.ConAgralabelsitsWessonOilsas"100%Natural."This13representationiscentraltoConAgra'smarketingofWessonOils,andisdisplayed14prominentlyontheproductlabelitself,theWessonwebsite,andallWessonOils'15advertisements.163.ButWessonOilsarenot"100%natural."Theoilsaremadefrom17geneticallymodifiedplants("GM")orgeneticallymodifiedorganisms("GMO").184.MonsantoCompany,aglobalagriculturalcompanythatpioneered19GMseeds,definesGMOonitswebsiteasfoodwith

"geneticmakeupalteredto20exhibittraitsthatarenotnaturallytheirs.

Ingeneral,genesaretaken(copied)21fromoneorganismthatshowsadesiredtraitandtransferredintothegeneticcode22ofanotherorganism."Monsanto,http://www.monsanto.com!newsviews/Pages/23glossary.aspx#g(lastvisitedJune24,2011)(emphasisadded).Asmorefully24allegedbelow,"unnatural"isarecognizeddefiningcharacteristicofgenetically25modifiedfoods.

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