Boulder Canyon chips lawsuit: what it claims and who could get paid

What the Boulder Canyon chips lawsuit claims

The best-documented complaint is Mayo v. Utz Quality Foods, LLC, No. 2:26-cv-05126, filed August 20, 2026 in federal court in the Eastern District of New York. It names Utz Quality Foods and its parent, Utz Brands, and targets two products: Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Classic Sea Salt Kettle Style Potato Chips and Good Health Kettle Style 100% Avocado Oil Potato Chips Sea Salt.

The theory is about labeling and price, not safety. The packaging says avocado oil, the complaint says, but lab testing found a diluted blend of oils instead. Because avocado oil is a premium ingredient, the plaintiff says shoppers paid more than the chips were worth. Mayo brings claims under New York consumer law, breach of warranty and unjust enrichment; other suits cite other states' laws. A report on a second complaint, Schultz v. Utz Brands, notes that the ingredients list names only potatoes, avocado oil and sea salt.

These are allegations, and Utz has not been found liable.

The UC Davis study behind the lawsuits

The complaints rest on research from UC Davis published in 2026 in the journal Applied Food Research. Researchers led by Selina Wang tested the oil in processed foods labeled as made with avocado oil. In a July 15, 2026 release, UC Davis said 48 of 54 products (89%) contained other, cheaper oils, including 93% of chips, 71% of mayonnaises and every salad dressing. Only one of 20 olive-oil products failed the same tests.

Two cautions. The release doesn't name brands in its text; the Mayo complaint says the researchers extracted oil from the Boulder Canyon and Good Health chips and found it lacked the chemical makeup of authentic avocado oil. And the researchers note that a brand may not know its supplier diluted the oil. The findings concern authenticity and what shoppers paid for, not health or safety.

Who is in the proposed class

No class exists yet. The Mayo complaint asks the court to certify a nationwide class of everyone who bought the products in the United States during the class period, a New York subclass, and a separate class seeking a court order to stop the labeling. Other suits propose their own groups; a case tracker says some are nationwide, some cover several states and some cover only buyers in one state.

If you bought Boulder Canyon avocado oil chips, you may fit one of these descriptions, but fitting a description isn't the same as being in a certified class. A judge sets the class definition and the class period. Our guide to what happens after a class action is certified explains that step.

How many lawsuits there are, and where they stand

More than one suit was filed over the same chips. Schultz was filed August 13, 2026 in the same federal district in New York, a week before Mayo. A case tracker counted seven Utz cases as of October 12, 2026, in federal courts in New York, Louisiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and California, and said one of them, in California, was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice on October 1, 2026. It reported no class certified, no ruling on the merits, no motion to centralize the cases in one court and no public response from Utz. The coverage we found also says Utz hasn't commented.

At this stage the main questions are procedural: where the cases should be heard and whether they will be combined. Similar suits have been filed against other brands over the same study, including Campbell's Kettle Brand.

What could happen next, and how long it takes

Utz can ask the judges to dismiss the cases, arguing that the labels are accurate or that the testing doesn't show the chips fell short. If claims survive, expect a fight over whether the cases are combined in one court and whether a class can be certified. Food-labeling cases can end in a settlement, a dismissal or a ruling for the company, and many take two to four years. For the general road map, see how a class action works from start to finish.

A similar label fight is playing out over sugar claims; our David protein bar lawsuit explainer shows how those cases are pleaded.

Could you get paid?

Not now. There is no fund, no claim form and no deadline. If a case settles, food-labeling deals usually pay a modest amount per product or refund part of the price, and large checks are rare because a bag of chips costs a few dollars. Small claims often need no receipt, while larger tiers ask for proof. This case has no numbers yet, so any figure you see online is a guess.

If a claim form ever opens, filing directly with the settlement administrator will be free. Anyone asking you to pay to "file your Boulder Canyon claim" today is selling something that doesn't exist. Our guide to class action settlement scams lists the red flags.

What to do now if you bought Boulder Canyon chips

You can't claim anything yet, but a few steps cost nothing and keep your options open:

1. Note which chips you bought. The Mayo and Schultz complaints name the Classic Sea Salt bag, and Mayo also names Good Health avocado oil chips.
2. Keep receipts, loyalty-card or online order history, and a photo of the bag's front label and ingredients list. See what counts as proof of purchase.
3. Ignore texts, emails or ads about a Boulder Canyon "payout" until a court-approved settlement website exists.
4. Keep your email and mailing address current with the stores and accounts you buy from, so a future notice can reach you.

How to get notified if it settles

Settlement notices usually go to the email and mailing addresses in a company's or retailer's records, and then a settlement website opens with a claim form. Our guide to getting notified of class action settlements covers the options.

Owed finds the settlements you may qualify for, explains them in plain English, opens the official claim form, reminds you before deadlines and tracks each claim to payout. You submit any claim yourself. Tap Notify me on Owed's Utz page and Owed will email you if a settlement opens claims. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. You can also take the eligibility quiz or browse open settlements you can claim now. This is general information, not legal advice. Owed isn't a law firm or a settlement administrator, and courts and administrators decide who qualifies and what they receive.

Glossary

Chemical fingerprint

The pattern of fatty acids and sterols that identifies an oil. The study compared each sample's pattern with authentic avocado oil.

Proposed class

The group of people the plaintiffs want the court to treat as one. No class exists until a judge certifies it.

Class certification

The court ruling that lets a lawsuit go forward on behalf of a whole group instead of only the named plaintiffs.

Consolidation

Combining similar lawsuits in one court so a single judge handles them. A tracker reports no motion to centralize these cases yet.

Price premium

The extra money shoppers allegedly paid because the label said avocado oil. It is how these suits measure harm.

Voluntary dismissal without prejudice

When a plaintiff drops a case but keeps the right to file it again.

FAQ