Trader Joe's Low Acid Coffee — The Full Story
Trader Joe's Low Acid Dark French Roast — the full story. pH 5.44 (failed), greater than 50% caffeine reduction undisclosed, Bursor & Fisher class action lawsuit filed.
The Trader Joe's Low-Acid Coffee Lawsuit — The Full Story
You reach for a bag of coffee that promises to be gentle on your stomach. You pay almost $19 for it. You trust the label. Then it turns out none of it was true.
That is exactly what happened to millions of Trader Joe's customers who purchased their Low Acid Dark French Roast Coffee — and it is why Puroast Coffee, the U.S. District Court, and multiple consumer advocacy groups are holding Trader Joe's accountable in federal court.
HOW THIS ALL STARTED
Trader Joe's sold a coffee called Low Acid Dark French Roast. For millions of Americans who suffer from acid reflux, GERD, or heartburn, that promise is everything. But what if the coffee was not actually low acid at all? That is what Puroast Coffee set out to find out.
On February 14, 2025, Puroast Coffee filed a federal lawsuit against Trader Joe's in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida — Case No. 1:25-cv-20696 — alleging false advertising under the Lanham Act.
WHAT THE TESTING REVEALED
5.44
pH of TJ's Low Acid Coffee
4.8–5.4
pH range of REGULAR coffee
~5.8
pH of Puroast — genuinely low acid
Trader Joe's low acid coffee sits at pH 5.44 — squarely within the range of regular coffee. For someone with acid reflux who specifically sought out a low-acid option, this is not a minor technicality. It is a betrayal.
The Caffeine Problem:
Testing revealed that TJ's Low Acid coffee contains approximately 50% of the caffeine of a regular coffee blend — the caffeine profile of a half-caff product. Yet the packaging discloses absolutely nothing about reduced caffeine. No half-caff label. No asterisk. Nothing.
THREE LAWSUITS. ONE TRUTH.
Lawsuit 1: Puroast Coffee v. Trader Joe's — February 2025
Court: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida | Cause: Lanham Act — Federal False Advertising | Status: Active — case stayed, mediation ordered
Lawsuit 2: Consumer Class Action — April 2025
Court: U.S. District Court, Central District of California | Plaintiffs: 4 consumers from California, New York, and Illinois | Directly cites Puroast's testing data.
Lawsuit 3: McIntosh v. Trader Joe's — April 2026
Court: U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | Counsel: Bursor and Fisher P.A. | Trader Joe's has been aware of the caffeine discrepancy since February 2025 and has done nothing to change the label.
WHY THIS MATTERS
There are no federal regulations governing the low acid coffee claim. Any brand can put "low acid" on any bag, charge double the price, and face zero accountability. That is what Puroast is fighting to change — for the 85 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux, GERD, or heartburn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Puroast sue Trader Joe's?
Puroast's independent testing found that Trader Joe's Low Acid Dark French Roast coffee tested at pH 5.44 — within the range of regular coffee (4.8–5.4) — and contained approximately 50% of the caffeine of regular coffee with no label disclosure. Puroast filed suit under the Lanham Act for false advertising.
What pH is Trader Joe's Low Acid coffee?
pH 5.44 — squarely within the regular coffee range of pH 4.8–5.4. The LACCSA standard requires pH 5.5 or above to be considered genuinely low acid. Trader Joe's coffee fails this threshold.
How many lawsuits are there against Trader Joe's for this?
Three active lawsuits: Puroast v. Trader Joe's (Feb 2025, S.D. Florida), a consumer class action (April 2025, C.D. California), and McIntosh v. Trader Joe's (April 2026, S.D. New York, Bursor and Fisher P.A.).
What is the caffeine issue with Trader Joe's Low Acid coffee?
Testing revealed TJ's Low Acid coffee contains approximately 50% of the caffeine of regular coffee — equivalent to a half-caff product — with zero disclosure on the label. Trader Joe's has known about this since February 2025 and has not changed the label.
What is Puroast asking for in the lawsuit?
Accurate labeling standards and an official federal definition of low acid coffee — not money. Puroast is fighting to establish a legal standard that protects the 85 million Americans who need genuinely low acid coffee.
Ready for Coffee That Actually Does What It Says?
5X less acid. 5X more antioxidants. The only patented low-acid coffee roasting process in the world.
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