Snoop Dogg and Master P have filed a lawsuit against Walmart and Post Foods, claiming the companies are attempting to remove their breakfast cereal brand.
The lawsuit accused the retail giant of using deceptive methods to damage the brand of breakfast cereal, Snoop Cereal.
Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, and Master P, whose real name is Percy Miller Sr., founded Broadus Foods LLC. The brand is being defended in court by Ben Crump, a national civil rights and personal injury attorney.
According to a press release from Crump’s office, the lawsuit alleged that Post Foods and Walmart made Snoop Cereal difficult for customers to obtain, “despite its popularity among consumers.”
“Broadus Foods claims that Snoop Cereal boxes were purposefully stored in the stockrooms of Walmart stores, where they were coded with ‘no location,’ preventing them from being put on the store shelves.”
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According to the lawsuit, the cereal was “heavily discounted” and kept out of the cereal aisle in some stores, either in the baby section or in clearance areas.
The complaint alleges that Post Foods and Walmart’s corporate headquarters ordered these “deliberate” actions. Ultimately, it is said that these actions kept Broadus Foods from receiving the “expected profits and compensation from the sale of Snoop Cereal.”
The two men, their lawyer noted, were allegedly charged a “charge-back” fee by Walmart for unsold merchandise.
According to Crump, “This case sheds light on the significant obstacles minority-owned businesses face in obtaining equitable opportunities in the marketplace. Post Foods’ and Walmart’s actions show a callous disregard for and exploitation of minority business owners in the industry”.
Imagine how well-known Black business owners and entrepreneurs are treated by large corporations if this is how celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Master P are handled by the country’s corporate elite.
A statement from Broadus Foods stated that the two rappers, who later became entrepreneurs, founded the company in 2022 “with a vision of creating a family-owned company that adds diversity to the food industry and provides opportunities for minority-owned food products and brands.”
The company introduced Momma Snoop and Snoop Cereal as its two primary brands. Their goal is to serve delicious and reasonably priced breakfast items, empower minorities economically, and give back to the local community.
Master P stated to Nexstar’s KTLA in 2023, “That’s why we’re saying let’s put some diversity on these grocery store shelves.” He went on to say that:
“We will now be able to assist children and provide jobs for people if we don’t take action and change things. because Snoop Cereal has parts of its sales revenue given to Charity”.
Walmart has responded in a statement, praising its “strong history of supporting entrepreneurs” and said it values its relationships with its suppliers. However, “many factors affect the sales of any given product, including consumer demand, seasonality, and price to name a few,” the statement continued. “We will respond as appropriate with the court once we are served with the complaint.”
Also, Post Consumer Brands stated to KTLA, the news network that first broke the story, that it “made substantial investments in the business” and “was excited to partner with Broadus Foods”.
The statement went on, “We were equally disappointed that customer demand did not meet expectations.”
In addition to seeking to “preserve the goals of Snoop Dogg and Master P in creating a legacy for their families, promoting diversity in the food industry, and giving back to the community,” the lawsuit seeks to “hold Post Foods and Walmart accountable for their alleged deceptive practices.”
For alleged “deceptive trade practices,” Broadus Foods is suing for damages.