June 12, 2023
An Illinois federal judge on Monday gave his preliminary signoff for a roughly $8 million deal between Simmons Foods and direct purchasers accusing major chicken suppliers of price-fixing, bringing the total recovery for the group to nearly $189 million.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin concluded during a telephone conference Monday morning that the settlement, which provides that Simmons Foods Inc. will pay $8,018,991, was fair and the end result of “extensive good-faith and hard-fought negotiations with knowledgeable and skilled counsel.”
With more than 100 depositions taken and millions of documents produced in discovery, as well as fully briefed motions to dismiss and certify the class of direct purchaser plaintiffs, both sides had the chance to make a rational, reasoned decision as to whether this settlement is in their best interest, Judge Durkin said.
Simmons has also agreed to assist the direct purchasers with their claims against the remaining defendants in the case by “authenticating and providing foundation for documents,” according to the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary approval.
Read Chicken Buyers Get OK For $8M Simmons Price-Fixing Deal.