Conagra Unit Beats Class Status in Hawaii Snack Deception Suit

A plaintiff’s social relationship with an attorney, coupled with his lack of attention to the case, made him an inadequate representative in a lawsuit alleging a Conagra Brands Inc. unit deceptively portrayed the source of Hawaiian-brand snacks, a federal court said.

Michael Maeda and Rick Smith challenged the “Hawaiian” name and images on Kennedy Endeavors Inc. chip packages, saying they were misled into thinking the snacks were Hawaii-made when they’re produced in Washington state. They sought to represent California and Hawaii classes.

But Maeda won’t be able to fairly and adequately protect the interests of the California class, the U.S. ...