A nationwide class settlement was reached yesterday between a group of consumers and Waggin’ Train and Nestle Purina PetCare Company.

The settlement creates a settlement fund of $6,500,000 and establishes procedures that would permit consumers to submit claims for monetary relief. The agreement also requires Nestle Purina to undertake enhanced quality assurance measures and modify certain language on its packaging.

Chump change

While $6.5 million may sound like a significant sum to some, in fact it is quite small. Paltry even. Particularly after attorney’s fees are paid (up to 33% of the settlement), skimming $2,145,000 off the top leaving $4,355,000.

To understand the insignificance of the settlement it helps to realize that in the last year alone Nestle Purina Petcare’s sales were an astounding $12,557,537,002 billion. And their profit? $2,416,758,834 billion dollars – that’s with a “b”.

Purina, a subsidiary of Swiss food giant Nestlé S.A., is the world’s largest pet food producer. Purina products are sold internationally by mass merchandisers, supermarkets, pet supply stores, and online retailers. They market a staggering number of pet treats made in China sold under the names Waggin’ Train and Canyon Creek Ranch brands all of which are subject to the claims of the settlement.

Purina’s pet treat brands

Apple & Chicken Wraps
Apple Bites Wrapped with Chicken
Apples Wrapped with Chicken
Banana & Chicken Wraps
Banana Bites Wrapped with Chicken
Bananas Wrapped with Chicken
Bananzas
Big Blast
Big Blast – Slims
Cartwheels
Cheese & Chicken
Chew Well
Chicken & Veggie Bites
Chicken & Veggie Bites Recipe
Chicken & Veggies
Chicken and Bananas
Chicken Bites
Chicken Breast Tender Snack
Chicken Chips
Chicken Crispy Puffs
Chicken Jerky Bites
Chicken Jerky Links
Chicken Jerky Sticks
Chicken Jerky Tenders
Chicken Kabobs
Chicken Poppers
Chicken Stix
Chicken Tenders
Chicken Wrapped Big Blast
Chicken Wrapped Rawhide
Chicken Yam Good
Chik’n Biscuits
Chik’n Biscuits Recipe
Country Crunch
Country Ham Glow
Country Style Drumettes
Cowboy Steaks
Crispy Puffs
Drumettes
Duck Jerky Bites
Duck Jerky Sticks
Duck Jerky Tenders
Duck Tenders
Duck Wrapped Big Blast
Duck Wrapped Big Blast Kabob’s
Duck Yam Good
Fiddlestix
Franks
Freshies Supreme Clean
Freshies Supreme Green
Glide
Ham It Up
Ham’n Biscuits
Ham’n Biscuits Recipe
Happy Trails to Chew
Healthy Promise
Healthy Promise – Chew Well
Healthy Promise – Shine On
Healthy Promise – Walk Tall
Heart & Eyes
Homestyle Ham
I Yam What I Yam
Jerky Bites
Jerky Sticks
Jerky Tenders
Kabobs
Lassos
Onward – Glow
Onward – Heart & Eyes
PBJ
Poppers
Prime Cutlets
Rawhide Wheels Stuffed with Chicken
Shine On
Supreme Clean
Supreme Green
Trail Chews
Trail Mix for Dogs
Turkey Jerky Strips
Twisters
Walk Tall Ringers
Western Chicken Chips
Western Grill
Western Grill Onward – Glide
Western Styl Kabobs
Western Style Chicken Bites
Wholesome Chicken Jerky Tenders
Wholesome Duck Jerky Tenders
Wrapovers – Apple & Chicken
Wrapovers – Banana & Chicken
Wrapovers – Cheese & Chicken
Wrapples
Yam Good
Yam Good – Wholesome Yams Wrapped with Chicken
Yam Good – Wholesome Yams Wrapped with Duck
Yams
Yams Wrapped with Duck Fillet

It’s settled

The cases being settled are Adkins v. Nestle Purina PetCare Company, Gandara v. Nestle Purina PetCare Company, and Matin v. Nestle Purina PetCare Company.

Class action representatives, many whom I have written about, Dennis Adkins, Maria Higginbotham, Mary Ellis, Dwayne Holley, Kaiya Holley, Deborah Cowan, Barbara Pierpont, Cindi Farkas, Terry Safranek, Elizabeth Mawaka, Robin Pierre, Jill Holbrook, Mary Ellen Deschamps, Tracy Bagatta, Hal Scheer, S. Raymond Parker, Kristina Irving, Kathleen Malone, Jeannie Johnson, Rebel Ely, Rita DeSollar, Faris Matin, Rosalinda Gandara, and Felicita Morales shall each be paid $5,000.

If you have any questions about the settlement of these actions, please contact Thomas Soule at (312) 739-4200, or Phong Tran at (800) 449-4900 at EDELMAN, COMBS, LATTURNER & GOODWIN of Chicago.

Nestle Purina Settlement Press Release