The company behind the Dannon yogurt brand has filed a federal lawsuit against rival Chobani, claiming the competing yogurt maker is deceiving customers with inflated protein claims on its product labels.
Danone filed the complaint in Manhattan federal court, targeting Chobani’s 20G Protein line, which comes in multiple-serving tubs. Danone argues the product is positioned as a direct competitor to its own Oikos Pro in the ultra-high-protein yogurt market.
“This conduct is particularly insidious when Chobani knows that healthcare providers and the federal government are directing the public to choose foods that offer higher concentrations of protein to maintain their health,” Danone stated in the complaint.
Chobani and the attorneys representing it in separate false advertising litigation brought by Danone had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the report.
At the heart of the case is how protein content is measured per serving. Danone’s Oikos Pro delivers 20 grams of protein in a standard 5.3-ounce serving — a size consistent with industry norms. Danone contends that achieving that level of protein density is both difficult and expensive to produce.
Rather than match that standard, Danone alleges, Chobani simply enlarged its serving sizes without adding more yogurt to the container. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines for serving sizes, Danone claims Chobani’s product would actually contain fewer than 18 grams of protein per serving.
That figure, Danone argues, puts Chobani 20G Protein closer in line with Oikos Triple Zero — a lower-cost product containing between 15 and 18 grams of protein per serving.
“If consumers knew the truth, instead of choosing the Chobani product, they would choose either Oikos Pro for a true ultra-high-protein option, or Oikos Triple Zero for a better price,” the complaint stated.
Danone is asking the court for unspecified financial damages and is also seeking changes to Chobani’s product labeling.
This is at least the fourth lawsuit filed between the two companies since 2016. In a separate legal dispute, Chobani has asked a Manhattan federal judge to throw out a Danone lawsuit claiming it copied packaging and the slogan “Bright & Mellow” for a line of cold brew coffee products.
Chobani is headquartered in New York, while Danone is based in Paris, France, with its U.S. operations centered in White Plains, New York.
