A federal class motion filed final week alleges that Dealer Joe’s has been deceptively advertising its “French Roast Low Acid” entire bean espresso as absolutely caffeinated when lab testing confirmed ranges nearer to half-caff.
The grievance, filed April 23 within the U.S. District Court docket for the Central District of California, was introduced by 4 shoppers who purchased the product at Dealer Joe’s shops in California, New York and Illinois.
The grievance doesn’t allege that the espresso is unsafe. Fairly, it alleges that Dealer Joe’s misleads shoppers by promoting the product as “LOW ACID” and “easy & full flavored” with out disclosing that it allegedly comprises considerably much less caffeine than comparable absolutely caffeinated coffees.
“It’s so widespread that it’s now cliché that espresso drinkers rely on the caffeine contained therein to supply them with the power they should get via the day,” the grievance states. “Accordingly, the quantity of caffeine in a espresso mix impacts a shopper’s buying choice. Moreover, for normal espresso drinkers, “decaf” and “half-caff” coffees should not an inexpensive substitute for a morning repair.”
On-line data don’t but present a response from Dealer Joe’s to the proposed class motion. The corporate has not but replied to DCN’s request for remark.
In keeping with the grievance, the again label of the espresso product describes a “darkish, wealthy brew with full, sturdy, flavors, however with out the sturdy acidity.” The label additionally mentions a “lengthy, sluggish roast” of espresso “beans” which are then “handled to a chemical-free, pure steaming course of that removes a few of their acidity, however not their taste.”
The grievance cites testing from a separate lawsuit filed final yr by Puroast Espresso Firm, Inc., a Florida-based espresso firm that gives merchandise underneath the outline “the one low acid espresso.” It alleges that testing confirmed that the Dealer Joe’s “French Roast Low Acid” espresso contained 51% of the caffeine of Dealer Joe’s Darkish French Roast espresso, 45% of the caffeine of Dealer Joe’s Home Mix espresso and 45% of the caffeine of Puroast Home Mix espresso.
The Puroast grievance, filed in February 2025, raised the caffeine situation and a separate allegation that the Dealer Joe’s product fails to satisfy a scientific threshold for low-acid espresso.
The brand new class motion explicitly references the Florida litigation, arguing that Dealer Joe’s was placed on discover via the Puroast case that the product allegedly had diminished caffeine ranges and continued promoting it with the identical labels.
Each instances have been nonetheless lively as of April 27, 2026.
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