Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, Sonic Accuse Pork Producers of Price Fixing

Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s and Sonic Drive-In, all of which are owned by the Atlanta-based Inspire Brands, have filed federal lawsuits against a host of pork producers, Restaurant Business reports.

The chain restaurants have filed lawsuits against Smithfield, Tyson, Clemens Food Group, JBS USA, Seaboard Foods, Hormel and Agri Stats, among others, the article said, accusing them of working together to fix pork prices.

The lawsuit claims Agri Stats collected information from the producers beginning in 2009 for benchmarking reports that features profit and production data. The reports allowed the producers to monitor one another’s production and control the supply and price of products in the marketplace, the lawsuit argues.

“The lawsuits are adding to a growing number of actions between restaurants and protein producers. The actions argue that the use of these third-party reporting services drives up food costs,” Restaurant Business wrote.

In April, a federal judge in Minnesota granted another class-action pork price-fixing settlement between JBS USA and Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs (CIIPS). Some of the CIPPS include Longhorn’s Steakhouse, Sandee’s Bakery, Confetti’s, Ziggy’s BBQ Smokehouse & Ice Cream Parlor and Joe’s Steak and Leaf.

This follows a $20-million settlement in March to settle a consumer class-action lawsuit.

Read more:

JBS USA Settles Third Pork Price-Fixing Lawsuit

Judge Grants Preliminary Approval for $24.5 Million Settlement in JBS Antitrust Suit

JBS USA Pork Price-Fixing Lawsuit Reaches $20-Million Settlement