Bigelow Deceptively Portrays Tea as U.S.-Made, Class Suit Says

Specialty tea producer RC Bigelow Inc. tricks consumers into thinking its teas are U.S.-made when they consist solely of foreign-sourced and processed tea, a would-be class suit filed Monday in California federal court alleges.

Kimberly Banks and Carol Cantwell allege they relied on packaging, that said “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned” and “America’s Classic” in buying Earl Grey, Vanilla Chai, and other tea varieties.

But Bigelow teas are made with black, green, and oolong tea leaves derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant, Banks and Cantwell allege. None of the Camellia Sinensis plant that is used to make ...