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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
May 26, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Contingencies
In the ordinary course of business, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings and claims.
The Company makes a provision for a liability relating to legal matters when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. These provisions are reviewed at least each fiscal quarter and adjusted to reflect the impacts of negotiations, estimated settlements, legal rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. Legal fees are expensed in the period in which they are incurred.
Because recovery of amounts is contingent upon a legal settlement, no amounts have been recorded as recoverable costs through May 26, 2024.
Confidential Settlement Agreement and Release

On August 24, 2023, the Company reached a confidential settlement and release agreement with a third-party insurance underwriter as a result of a claim filed by the Curation business. In connection with this settlement agreement, the Company received a cash payment of $1.9 million on September 19, 2023, which is recorded as discontinued operations.
SEC Subpoena
On February 16, 2024, the Chicago Regional Office of the SEC issued a subpoena to the Company seeking documents and information concerning the Restatement. The Company is in the process of responding to the subpoena and intends to cooperate with the SEC. We cannot predict the duration or outcome of this matter at this time.
Landlord Complaints

On January 12, 2024, the landlord for a property leased by Curation filed a complaint of unlawful detainer against the Company in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, seeking possession of the building and alleging past due rent of approximately $0.2 million. On February 29, 2024, Curation surrendered possession of the premises to the landlord. The unlawful detainer action has thus been converted to an ordinary civil action. Landlord has filed an amended complaint against both Curation and the Company seeking to recover all rent which will accrue through the expiration of the lease, less any sums landlord collects from a replacement tenant. No trial date has been set yet.

On January 12, 2024, a landlord for a different property leased by Curation delivered to the Company a pay or quit notice related to such property, seeking payment of past due rent of approximately $0.1 million or requesting Curation to vacate the property. The Company has accrued past due rents, but the ultimate exposure to loss will depend on future events and is not reasonably certain at this time.
Other Litigation Matters
In June of 2021, a complaint was filed against the company alleging multiple wage and hour claims. On June 6, 2022 the Company reached an agreement to settle all causes of action alleged by the Plaintiff under the California Labor Code, the California Business and Professionals Code, the applicable Wage Order, and the Private Attorneys General Act (the “PAGA”). In connection with the settlement agreement the Company recorded a $0.5 million charge, which is included in Loss from discontinued operations costs in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended May 28, 2023.
Compliance Matters
On December 1, 2018, the Company acquired all of the voting interests and substantially all of the assets of Yucatan (the “Yucatan Acquisition”), which owns a guacamole manufacturing plant in Mexico called Procesadora Tanok, S de RL de C.V. (“Tanok”).
On October 21, 2019, the Company retained Latham & Watkins, LLP to conduct an internal investigation relating to potential environmental and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) compliance matters associated with regulatory permitting at the Tanok facility in Mexico. The Company subsequently voluntarily self-disclosed to the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) the conduct under investigation, and these agencies commenced an investigation. The Company also disclosed the conduct under investigation to the Office of the Attorney General in Mexico, which in December 2021 decided (a) that Curation Foods, Inc., did not commit or participate in the criminal conduct disclosed, (b) no criminal action would be taken
against Curation Foods, Inc., (c) that no criminal liability was established against Tanok and Yucatan after they were acquired by Curation Foods, Inc., and (d) the decisions do not apply to any individuals who may be responsible for misconduct. The Company also disclosed the misconduct to other regulators in Mexico. The conduct at issue began prior to the Yucatan Acquisition, and the agreement for the Yucatan Acquisition provides the Company with certain indemnification rights that may allow the Company to recover the cost of a portion of the liabilities that have been and may be incurred by the Company in connection with these compliance matters. On September 2, 2020, one of the former owners of Yucatan filed a lawsuit against the Company in Los Angeles County Superior Court for breach of employment agreement, breach of contract, breach of holdback agreement, declaratory relief and accounting, and related claims. The Plaintiff seeks over $10 million in damages, including delivery of shares of his stock held in escrow for the indemnification claims described above. On November 3, 2020, the Company filed an answer and cross-complaint against the Plaintiff and other former equity holders of Yucatan for fraud, indemnification, and other claims, and seeking no less than $80 million in damages. In fiscal 2022 and 2023, the Company reached settlements with several of the cross-defendants, pursuant to which the settling cross-defendants agreed that certain of the shares of stock they received when the Company acquired Yucatan be sold and the proceeds paid to the Company. The matter is proceeding against the Plaintiff and the remaining cross-defendants.
On November 16, 2023, the Company and the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) executed a letter (“Declination Letter”) in which the DOJ has declined to prosecute the Company for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) involving the Company’s formerly-held subsidiary, Yucatan Foods L.P. (“Yucatan”). Pursuant to the Declination Letter, in connection with the DOJ’s declination to prosecute, in fiscal 2023 the Company agreed to pay disgorgement in the amount of $406,505, and to continue to fully cooperate with any ongoing government investigations and any prosecutions that might result in the future. The Company paid the disgorgement amount in full in fiscal 2024.
At this stage, the ultimate outcome of these or any other investigations, legal actions, or potential claims that may arise from the matters under investigation is uncertain and the Company cannot reasonably predict the timing or outcomes, or estimate the amount of net loss after indemnification, or its effect, if any, on its financial statements. Separately, there are indemnification provisions in the purchase agreement that may allow the Company to recover costs for breach of the purchase agreement from the seller. Because recovery of amounts is contingent upon a legal settlement, no amounts have been recorded as recoverable costs through May 26, 2024.