Green v. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.

279 F.R.D. 275, 76 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 346, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146059, 2011 WL 6372617
District Court, D. New Jersey·Decided December 20, 2011·No. Civil Action No. 11-2067 (SDW)(MCA)·Published·Cited by 23 cases

Opinion

OPINION

WIGENTON, District Judge.

Before the Court is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., and Keurig, Inc.’s, (collectively “Defendants”) Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff Philip Green’s (“Plaintiff’ or [278] “Green”) individual claims and class action allegations pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted (“Motions”). This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d). Venue is proper in this District pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391. These Motions are decided without oral argument pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 78. For the reasons stated below, this Court grants Defendants’ Motions.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Defendants are “in the specialty coffee and coffee maker businesses.” (Compl. ¶ 12.) They manufacture “single-cup brewers, accessories and coffee, tea, cocoa and other beverages in K-Cup portion packs.” {Id. ¶ 16.) In addition to manufacturing, Defendants also market and sell their products “in domestic wholesale and retail channels, [supermarkets], and directly to consumers.” {Id. ¶¶ 15, 21.) At the heart of this lawsuit are the following single-cup brewing systems Defendants manufacture and sell: Keurig® Platinum Brewing System (model series B70), Keurig Special Edition Brewing System (model series B60), Keurig Elite Brewing System (model series B40), Keurig B155 Brewing System, Keurig OfficePRO Brewing System, Keurig MINI Plus Brewing System (model series B31), Keurig B130 In-Room Brewing System, Keurig B150 Brewing System, Keurig BI40 Brewing System, Breville Brewing System with Keurig Brewed® Technology, Cuisinart® Brewing System with Keurig Brewed Technology, Mr. Coffee® Brewing System with Keurig Brewed Technology, and the Keurig B200 Brewing System (collectively the “Keurig Brewing Systems”). {Id. ¶ 1.)

According to Green, Defendants advertised on their websites and the brewers’ packaging that “one K-Cup would brew a programmed quantity of coffee.” {Id. ¶ 8; see also id. ¶¶ 22-27.) Based on these representations, Plaintiff asserts that he purchased a Keurig® Platinum Brewing System (model series B70) in or around January 2011. {Id. ¶ 8.) However, Green maintains that his machine failed to brew the programmed amounts of K-Cup® coffee within a few weeks of use. {Id.) Plaintiff asserts that the machines had “defective components, including defective pumps.” {Id. ¶28.) As a result, the machines failed and brewed less than the specified amount. {Id.) Furthermore, this defect allegedly caused “consumers to use additional K-Cups® to brew a single beverage.” {Id. ¶2.) Green submits that other consumers complained to Defendants about the defective machines and Defendants were aware that the brewing machines were defective. {Id. ¶¶ 29, 45.)

Defendants provide a one-year no-cost limited warranty for the Keurig Brewing Systems that allows Defendants, at their option, to repair or replace the machine. The warranty provides in relevant part:

Keurig warrants that your Keurig Home Brewer will be free of defects in materials or workmanship under normal home use for one year from the date of purchase. Keurig will, at its option, repair or replace the Brewer without charge upon its receipt of proof of the date of purchase. If a replacement Brewer is necessary to service this warranty, the replacement Brewer may be new or reconditioned. If a replacement Brewer is sent, it will carry a One Year Warranty from the date of shipment. Keurig will cover all shipping costs for authorized returns.

(Defs.’ Br. Ex. A.)1

Nonetheless, Plaintiff has not taken advantage of the warranty. According to Green, other consumers who were serviced under the warranty had their machines “replaced with unused, but equally defective” machines. (Compl. ¶ 4.)

Consequently, on April 11, 2011, Green initiated this action on behalf of himself and others in the State of New Jersey who “purchased or received” Keurig Brewing Systems [279] from February 18, 2008 to the present. (Id. ¶ 58, PL’s Opp’n Br. 1 n. 2.)2 Plaintiff maintains that Defendants’ actions are in violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (“CFA”), N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:8-1, et seq., and constitute a breach of implied warranty and unjust enrichment.

LEGAL STANDARD

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Green v. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., 279 F.R.D. 275, 76 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 346, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146059, 2011 WL 6372617 (D.N.J. 2011).

279 F.R.D. 275 (Green v. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related