General Mills Can’t Dodge ‘Deceptive’ Cascadian Farms Label Suit

General Mills Inc. and Small Planet Foods Inc. won’t get an early exit from a suit alleging they mislead consumers into believing dozens of Cascadian Farms food products come from a small farm in Washington state.

The allegedly deceptive packaging includes the brand name “Cascadian Farm,” an emblem of Skagit Valley—a small region along the Skagit River near the Cascade Range—and a picturesque, rural background, plaintiffs said.

Cascadian Farms was initially an independent company. In 2000, it merged with Small Planet Foods, which was acquired by General Mills shortly after that.

Consumers could be tricked by the packaging, the U.S. ...