Published
December 5, 2023
Updated
July 29, 2026
This settlement resolved claims that NextFoods, Inc. described its GoodBelly Probiotic JuiceDrink as a health-and-wellness product while the drinks contained added sugar. It covered anyone in the U.S. who bought a 1 quart (32 ounce) container between August 13, 2017 and November 27, 2023, and the claim window closed in January 2024.
Current Status
Claims are closed. The deadline to submit a claim form was January 29, 2024, and new claims are no longer accepted. The final approval hearing was held March 11, 2024, and the court entered an order granting final approval of the settlement on April 8, 2024. As of July 29, 2026, no distribution date and no confirmation that payments had been issued were located in public sources. Anyone who filed should rely on the official settlement website and on communications tied to their own claim.StatusClaims Closed — Final Approval GrantedFinal approval order entered April 8, 2024; no distribution date located as of July 29, 2026.
Claim DeadlineJanuary 29, 2024New claims are not accepted.
Settlement Fund$1,250,000$1 per 32 oz. container on a pro rata basis · capped at 5 containers, or $5, without receipts
Proof RequiredNoUp to 5 containers could be claimed on attestation alone; receipts were needed only to exceed that cap.
What Was the Case About?
The complaint alleged that NextFoods, Inc. marketed GoodBelly Probiotic JuiceDrink with health-and-wellness representations that were misleading in light of the sugar the drinks contained, and that the labeling and marketing violated state consumer protection and false advertising laws. NextFoods denied the allegations and denied that its labeling was misleading or unlawful. It agreed to the settlement to resolve the claims and avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation, and the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing.The case was Andrade-Heymsfield v. NextFoods, Inc., No. 3:21-cv-01446-BTM-MSB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. A related action, Gates v. NextFoods, Inc., No. 23-cv-530 (N.D.N.Y.), was resolved through the same settlement. The $1.25 million fund was non-reversionary, meaning money placed in it was not returned to the company.
Who Was Covered?
The settlement class covered all persons in the United States who, between August 13, 2017 and November 27, 2023, purchased any flavor of GoodBelly Probiotic JuiceDrink sold in a 1 quart (32 ounce) container, for household use and not for resale or distribution.Every flavor sold in that container size qualified, including mango, blueberry and raspberry blackberry. Only the 1 quart format was a class product — other GoodBelly package sizes, such as shots and single-serve bottles, fell outside the class definition. Purchases made after November 27, 2023 were also outside the class period.
What Could Claimants Get?
Approved claimants were entitled to $1 for each class product purchased during the class period. Without documentation, a claim was capped at 5 containers, or $5. With receipts or comparable records, there was no cap on the number of containers a class member could claim.Payment was pro rata out of the $1.25 million fund, so the per-container figure could be adjusted up or down depending on how many valid claims were approved and after court-approved deductions. Class counsel sought fees of roughly $530,000, reimbursement of about $37,000 in case expenses, and service awards of $5,000 each for the class representatives, all subject to the court's approval. Because the final amount depended on claim volume, the $1 per container figure was an estimate rather than a guaranteed payment.
What Proof Was Required?
No proof of purchase was required to file. A class member could claim up to 5 containers on attestation alone, submitted under penalty of perjury. Documentation — receipts, purchase orders, invoices or similar records showing the product purchased, the purchase date and the quantity — was needed only to claim more than 5 containers.Filing did not require an administrator-issued Claim ID, Notice ID or PIN. Notice in this case was published rather than mailed from a purchaser list, so no per-claimant code existed to gate the claim form. For that reason this page is marked Proof Required: No.
How Claims Were Filed
Claims were submitted online through the settlement administrator's claim portal, or on a paper claim form printed from the official settlement website and mailed so that it was postmarked no later than January 29, 2024. Claimants attested to the accuracy of their submission under penalty of perjury, and a claim containing false information could be rejected.Questions about an already-filed claim go through the contact form on the official settlement website. OpenClassActions.com is an information site — it is not the settlement administrator, a law firm, or the court, and it cannot look up or update anyone's claim.
What Happens Next?
The court granted final approval on April 8, 2024. The steps that remained after that order were resolution of any appeal and distribution of the net fund to approved claimants. As of July 29, 2026, no distribution date and no payment confirmation had been located in public sources. Any further updates would be posted on the official settlement website.Official information is available at GoodBellySettlement.com.
Important Dates
• Class period: August 13, 2017 – November 27, 2023• Claim deadline: January 29, 2024
• Final approval hearing: March 11, 2024
• Final approval order entered: April 8, 2024
Other Food and Label Claim Settlements
Cases over what a food or drink label says follow a familiar shape: a small per-unit payment, a low cap for buyers without receipts, and a pro rata split of a fixed fund. The Beyond Meat $7.5 million protein labeling settlement is the closest analogue to this one, and the $90 million Joint Juice settlement covered health claims made for a joint-health supplement drink. Both are closed.If you are looking for a labeling case that is still accepting claims, the Cosequin joint supplement settlement is open. The Nutricost magnesium glycinate settlement covered a similar dosage claim, but its claim window closed August 7, 2026.
Sources
• Official settlement website: GoodBellySettlement.com• Court-approved class notice (PR Newswire)
• Andrade-Heymsfield v. NextFoods, Inc. — U.S. Courts opinions on govinfo
• Settlement agreement, claim form and court documents posted by the settlement administrator
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Fund
$1,250,000
Non-reversionary common fund
Defendant
NextFoods, Inc. (GoodBelly)
Case
Andrade-Heymsfield v. NextFoods, Inc., No. 3:21-cv-01446-BTM-MSB (S.D. Cal.)
Related action: Gates v. NextFoods, Inc., No. 23-cv-530 (N.D.N.Y.)
Claims
State consumer protection and false advertising claims over health-and-wellness label representations
Class Period
August 13, 2017 – November 27, 2023
Class Product
Any flavor of GoodBelly Probiotic JuiceDrink in a 1 quart (32 oz.) container
Claim Deadline
January 29, 2024
Final Approval Hearing
March 11, 2024
Final Approval
Granted April 8, 2024
No distribution date located as of July 29, 2026.
Status
Claims Closed — Final Approval Granted
Official Website
GoodBelly Settlement.com
