Suit alleges Bella Gourmet “Mediterranean Blend” contains no olive oil; lab testing cited. Case No. 3:26-cv-03269-AJB-DDL (S.D. Cal.).
SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A putative class action complaint was filed today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California against Karabetian Import & Distribution, Inc., a Los Angeles–based food distributor, concerning a product sold under the BELLA GOURMET FOODS brand and labeled “CANOLA & EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL MEDITERRANEAN BLEND.” The case is captioned Hallak v. Karabetian Import & Distribution, Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-03269-AJB-DDL.
The complaint alleges, based on independent laboratory testing, that the product contains no detectable olive oil and consists entirely of canola oil, despite labeling and packaging that reference olive oil.
According to the complaint, the product label features the phrase “Canola Oil & Extra Virgin Olive Oil,” a “Mediterranean Blend” callout, an image of olives, and small-print text describing the product as a “healthy blend of canola oil and olive oil.” The label also carries claims of “Kosher Pareve,” “0% Trans Fat,” and “0% Cholesterol.”
The complaint alleges that the named plaintiff, Emmanoel Hallak, a San Diego resident, purchased the product in September 2025 at a retail grocery store in El Cajon, California. The complaint further alleges that plaintiff’s counsel submitted a sample of the product to Process NMR Associates, LLC, an analytical chemistry laboratory in Poughkeepsie, New York, for independent testing using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. The complaint alleges that the testing, performed on a Varian Mercury 300 MHz spectrometer, identified a complete spectral overlap with canola oil and no resonance peaks characteristic of olive oil.
Causes of Action
The complaint asserts six causes of action: (1) violation of California Health & Safety Code § 112895(b); (2) false advertising under California Business & Professions Code § 17500 et seq.; (3) unfair competition under California Business & Professions Code § 17200 et seq.; (4) fraud and deceit under California common law; (5) breach of the implied warranty of merchantability under California Commercial Code § 2314; and (6) unjust enrichment. The complaint alleges three distinct violations of California Health & Safety Code § 112895(b): failure to label the product as “mixed vegetable oil,” omission of accurate blend proportions, and the absence of olive oil from the product.
Relief Sought
The complaint seeks certification of a nationwide class and a California subclass of purchasers within the four-year period preceding the filing date. It seeks restitution, disgorgement, compensatory damages, punitive damages, declaratory relief, injunctive relief requiring label compliance with California Health & Safety Code § 112895(b), prejudgment interest, and attorneys’ fees. Plaintiff has demanded a jury trial.
About the Defendant
According to the complaint, Karabetian Import & Distribution, Inc. is a California corporation with its principal place of business in Los Angeles. The complaint cites the company’s website at https://karabetian.com, which describes the company as a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food distributor that supplies retailers and foodservice partners across North America. A copy of the publicly filed complaint may be obtained through the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, accessible at https://www.casd.uscourts.gov.
Counsel for Plaintiff
Plaintiff is represented by Joshua B. Swigart and Katherine A. Tuohy of Swigart Law Group, APC; Quintin G. Shammam of The Law Office of Quintin G. Shammam; and Joseph M. Attiq of The Law Office of Joseph M. Attiq.
The allegations summarized above are drawn from the publicly filed complaint in Case No. 3:26-cv-03269-AJB-DDL. The defendant has not yet responded to the complaint. The allegations are unproven, and the defendant is presumed not liable unless and until a court determines otherwise.
Read the Complaint
A copy of the filed complaint is available here: https://workdrive.zohoexternal.com/external/4ddded0ada41ba82ec4dd1ba57aab48e5721813d8cea160ca0c56a324e696a2a
Media Contact
Joshua B. Swigart, Esq.
Swigart Law Group, APC
2221 Camino del Rio S, Suite 308
San Diego, CA 92108
Tel: (866) 219-3343
Email: josh@swigartlawgroup.com
Web: https://swigartlawgroup.com
Joshua swigart
Swigart Law Group, APC
+1 619-838-8546
email us here
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