Published
June 11, 2026
If you bought Hawaiian Host chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, here is what the complaint claims about where those nuts actually come from — and why there is nothing to file yet.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations. Hawaiian Host has not been found liable, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
Hawaiian Host — the company behind the chocolate-covered macadamia nut boxes sold in airports, gift shops, and grocery stores across the country — is facing a proposed class action lawsuit claiming its signature "Hawaiian" treats are not what they appear to be. The federal complaint, Aviles v. Hawaiian Host, LLC, No. 2:26-cv-00600, was filed on February 26, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on behalf of California consumers.According to the complaint, Hawaiian Host's name, packaging, imagery, and marketing all convey that its macadamia nuts are grown in Hawaii — and consumers pay a premium for that authenticity — while the nuts inside allegedly come primarily from South Africa and Australia. The filing of a complaint is only the beginning of the case: Hawaiian Host has not been found liable, no class has been certified, and the allegations remain unproven.
Status
Complaint Filed
Aviles v. Hawaiian Host, LLC · U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California · filed February 26, 2026
The Allegation
"Hawaiian" macadamia nuts allegedly aren't from Hawaii
Complaint says the nuts come primarily from South Africa & Australia while branding implies Hawaiian origin
Can I Claim?
No — nothing to claim yet
No settlement, no fund, no claim form at this stage
The "Hawaiian" Origin Allegations
Macadamia nuts are closely associated with Hawaii, where they have been a flagship crop for a century. But the global macadamia market has shifted: most of the world's supply is now grown in countries like South Africa and Australia, where nuts are substantially cheaper than Hawaii-grown macadamias. The lawsuit alleges Hawaiian Host takes advantage of that gap — selling products dressed in Hawaiian branding at Hawaii-premium prices while allegedly filling them with imported nuts, without telling consumers.The dispute is bigger than one lawsuit. A separate proposed class action raising similar origin allegations was filed in Hawaii state court (Circuit Court of the First Circuit, Honolulu) in April 2026 on behalf of Hawaii purchasers. And Hawaii's Department of Agriculture has announced a new state labeling law, effective in 2026, that requires macadamia nut products to disclose where the nuts were actually grown — legislation prompted in part by years of complaints from Hawaii macadamia farmers about imported nuts being sold under island branding.
This also is not the first time the company's marketing has been challenged: a 2020 lawsuit accused Hawaiian Host of selling candies as Hawaiian-made when they were allegedly produced on the U.S. mainland.
What the Class Action Alleges
The federal complaint, brought by the Crosner Legal firm, centers on consumer-protection and false-advertising theories under California law. In substance, it alleges that:• Hawaiian Host's branding, packaging, and imagery represent its chocolate-covered macadamia products as authentically Hawaiian
• The macadamia nuts in those products allegedly come primarily from South Africa and Australia
• Consumers paid a price premium for Hawaiian-origin products they allegedly did not receive
• Reasonable consumers would not have bought the products, or would have paid less, had the true origin been disclosed
As with any complaint, these are allegations only — a court has not ruled on whether Hawaiian Host's marketing is deceptive, and the company is entitled to respond and defend its labeling.
Is There a Settlement or Claim Form Yet?
No. This is a newly filed lawsuit, not a settlement. That means:• There is no settlement fund.
• There is no claim form.
• There is no payout, and no deadline to act.
• Consumers do not need to do anything to "join" at this stage.
If the case eventually settles, a court-supervised claims process with its own eligibility rules and deadlines would be announced separately, and we will cover it. Food-labeling cases like this one do sometimes end in consumer refunds — the Olaplex "Made in USA" settlement is a recent example of an origin-labeling case that reached the claims stage.
Who Could Be Covered?
Because no class has been certified, no class definition is final. Based on the two pending complaints, the people most likely to be covered if either case advances are:• California consumers who purchased Hawaiian Host macadamia nut products (the federal Aviles case)
• Hawaii consumers who purchased Hawaiian Host macadamia nut products (the separate Hawaii state-court case)
There is nothing purchasers need to do right now, though keeping receipts or order confirmations for Hawaiian Host products is a sensible precaution in case a claims process ever opens.
What Happens Next?
The case will now move through the early stages of federal litigation: Hawaiian Host may answer the complaint or move to dismiss, the parties will brief whether the claims can proceed, and the plaintiff will at some point ask the court to certify a class. Each of those steps can take months. The parallel Hawaii state-court case will proceed on its own track, and Hawaii's new origin-disclosure labeling law may reshape how macadamia products are labeled regardless of how the litigation ends.OpenClassActions.com will watch the docket for major developments — a motion to dismiss, class certification, or a settlement with a claim form — and update this page as the case advances. Origin and ingredient labeling suits are an active area right now; see the similar Cento San Marzano tomato labeling class action for another geographic-origin food case at the complaint stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Hawaiian Host settlement yet?
No. The case is a proposed class action lawsuit. There is no settlement, no fund, and no claim form. Hawaiian Host has not been found liable just because a lawsuit was filed.What products are at issue?
The allegations focus on Hawaiian Host's macadamia nut products — most visibly its chocolate-covered macadamia boxes — that are marketed with Hawaiian branding. The separate Hawaii state-court complaint describes origin concerns across the Hawaiian Host Group's family of macadamia brands.Are Hawaiian Host macadamia nuts grown in Hawaii?
That is the central dispute. The lawsuits allege the nuts come primarily from Africa and Australia. Hawaii has separately enacted a labeling law, effective in 2026, requiring macadamia products to disclose the nuts' origin. A court has not ruled on the allegations.Do I need to file a claim?
No. Because this is a lawsuit and not a settlement, there is nothing to claim and no deadline. If a settlement or certified class ever produces a claims process, eligibility rules and deadlines would be announced then.Sources
• Justia Dockets — Aviles v. Hawaiian Host, LLC, No. 2:26-cv-00600 (E.D. Cal.)• Hawaii Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity — New Macadamia Nut Labeling Law
• Honolulu Star-Advertiser — 'Misleading' macadamia nut products prompt legislation in Hawaii
• Honolulu Star-Advertiser — Hawaiian Host is accused of false advertising for mainland-made treats (2021)
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Status
Complaint Filed — Proposed Class Action
Case Title
Aviles v. Hawaiian Host, LLC
Case Number
2:26-cv-00600
Court
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
Date Filed
February 26, 2026
Docket
Justia Docket
