The Boulder Canyon lawsuits center on Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Classic Sea Salt Kettle Style Potato Chips. A second Utz docket also names Good Health Kettle Style 100% Avocado Oil Potato Chips, Sea Salt.
A proposed class action is a lawsuit filed for a group of buyers who bought the same product. Here, buyers allege avocado-oil labels charged a premium over conventional chips. The complaints say the oil was substituted or diluted with cheaper oils, according to Bakery and Snacks reporting.
Official resources:
- Read the original report from Ucdavis — Use this primary source to review the complete report.
- Read the official notice from Financialcontent — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Which exact products are named?
- Which cases name which chips?
- What testing do the complaints cite?
- What should buyers do now?
Which exact products are named?
The common product in every filing is Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Classic Sea Salt Kettle Style Potato Chips. The complaint describes it as listing only potatoes, avocado oil and sea salt.
The broader Utz listing adds a second product: Good Health Kettle Style 100% Avocado Oil Potato Chips, Sea Salt. That listing names Utz Quality Foods and Utz Brands as defendants.
Which cases name which chips?
Schultz v. Utz Brands, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-04969, was filed Aug. 13, 2026 in the Eastern District of New York. It alleges New York General Business Law Sections 349 and 350 violations over avocado-oil claims, according to the Simpson Thacher monthly update.
Hunter v. Utz Brands, Inc. was filed Aug. 24, 2026 in the Eastern District of Louisiana. It names only the Boulder Canyon Classic Sea Salt product bought at a New Orleans Costco for $18.69.
What testing do the complaints cite?
Both Utz complaints cite the same 2026 University of California, Davis study. Researchers extracted oil from finished foods and fingerprinted it against lab-made pure avocado oil with a 10% tolerance.
The university reported that 48 of 54 avocado-oil-labeled products were adulterated with cheaper oils, with about 93% of chips failing, according to UC Davis news. That finding covers many brands and product types, not only the chips named in these cases.
What should buyers do now?
The Hunter complaint alleges shoppers paid a premium of 500% or more for avocado-oil labeling versus conventional chips. It seeks to represent U.S.
purchasers of the Boulder Canyon product. These are unproven allegations in proposed class actions with no reported ruling or certification. Practical steps for now are limited:.
- Save receipts, Costco records, loyalty history, packaging photos, and dates and stores of purchase
- Match the full product name exactly before assuming a bag is included
- Watch the court dockets for certification, settlement, or claim instructions rather than filing anywhere yet