Texas Family’s Revived Hain Baby Food Suit Sent to State Court

A district court wrongly concluded Whole Foods Market Inc. was improperly joined in a lawsuit alleging heavy metals in Hain Celestial Group Inc.‘s products caused brain damage to a Texas toddler, the Fifth Circuit said, remanding the suit to state court Tuesday.

Because Whole Foods’ marketing includes statements about how it vets its products, there was some possibility of recovery from the grocer, headquartered in Austin, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said. The district court erred in dismissing warranty claims against Whole Foods and denying the family’s motion to remand, the court said.

Grant and ...