California Berry Cultivars Sets the Record Straight on Its Recent Litigation Victory Against Driscoll’s Inc.
May 22, 2025 | 2 min to read
On May 14, 2025, Driscoll’s, Inc. issued a misleading press release following its defeat in a lawsuit against California Berry Cultivars, LLC (CBC). The United States District Court had previously granted CBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment, dismissing Driscoll’s unsupported claims. Despite the ruling, Driscoll’s continues to allege wrongdoing, indicative of its ongoing bullying business practices. CBC remains focused on innovation and urges Driscoll’s to respect the court's decisions while highlighting CBC's commitment to developing new strawberry varieties.
French Camp, CA — On May 14, 2025, Driscoll’s, Inc. (Driscoll’s) issued a press release regarding the lawsuit it filed against California Berry Cultivars, LLC (CBC). Driscoll’s press release mischaracterizes the circumstances of the litigation and demonstrates a profound disrespect for the District Court and our judicial system in addition to CBC. CBC is compelled to respond and set the record straight.
On April 7, 2025, after having already dismissed several of Driscoll’s claims pursuant to CBC’s Motions to Dismiss, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California granted CBC’s Motion for Summary Judgment, resolving all of Driscoll’s remaining claims in CBC’s favor. After five years of litigation and extensive discovery, including significant document production and multiple witness depositions, the federal District Court found Driscoll’s claims to be so lacking in legal or factual support that they did not merit a trial, and so the Court granted CBC judgment as a matter of law.
Now having suffered this defeat, Driscoll’s issues a press release making the same allegations the federal District Court comprehensively rejected. CBC has consistently operated with integrity in its breeding programs and has successfully developed and commercialized numerous strawberry varieties in compliance with settled law. Driscoll’s press release is stunning considering the District Court’s orders, but it is also symptomatic of the larger problem of Driscoll’s bullying business practices.
Though the press release makes much of Driscoll’s filing an appeal, court records confirm Driscoll’s is actively moving to dismiss that appeal. Were Driscoll’s to pursue its appeal, it would not only lose substantively, but it would further risk making appellate authority reaffirming Driscoll’s inability to preclude the development of new strawberry varieties by its competitors and thus further undermine Driscoll’s anti-competitive business model and practices.
CBC remains focused on innovation. It is likewise well past time for Driscoll’s to respect the federal District Court’s ruling, which is only the latest in a series of orders rejecting all of Driscoll’s claims and allegations in CBC’s favor.
About California Berry Cultivars, LLC
Established in 2014, California Berry Cultivars, LLC combines traditional breeding expertise with modern science to develop strawberry varieties that address the industry’s most pressing challenges. CBC’s varieties deliver exceptional disease resistance, improved yields, and superior flavor profiles across short-day, day-neutral, and summer-plant production systems.