Hunton & Williams LLP Facilitates Donation of Remaining Funds from $297 Million Class Action Settlement to DC Central Kitchen

Hunton & Williams LLP has obtained court-approval to donate more than $60,000 in remaining funds from a 2014 class-action settlement to support nonprofit DC Central Kitchen. Their Healthy Corners program delivers fresh produce and nutritious snacks to corner stores in DC’s low-income communities, empowering children and families to make healthier choices. DC Central Kitchen also provides nutrition-education workshops for schoolchildren through collaborators such as Playworks, the leading in-school nonprofit providing safe and healthy play to elementary school children throughout DC. 

“DC Central Kitchen provides food for families in need and empowers families to make healthy choices inspiring change in their lives. We are pleased that these funds can be used to support such a worthy cause,” said Torsten M. Kracht, one of the lead litigators in the case.

The funds come from a $297 million class action settlement in 2014 with U.S. Foodservice, Inc. The settlement, believed to be one of the largest civil RICO settlements in recent history, was reached on behalf of a class of customers, primarily hospitals, restaurant operators, universities and other food service providers, that purchased products from U.S. Foodservice under cost-plus arrangements between 1998 and 2005. The class alleged that the “cost” component of the products they purchased was artificially inflated.

“Since it is not economically feasible to redistribute the remaining settlement funds to the thousands of class members who already benefited from the settlement, the funds can be used instead to have a meaningful impact on the work that DC Central Kitchen is having on children and families in the DC area,” added Mr. Kracht.