Medina & Medina, Inc. v. Hormel Foods Corp.

Medina & Medina, Inc., a Puerto Rico-based distributor of refrigerated food products, sued its principal, Hormel Foods Corp. Medina sought a declaration that Medina was the exclusive distributor of Hormel’s retail refrigerated products in Puerto Rico and alleged that Hormel violated an alleged exclusive distributorship agreement and hence Puerto Rico’s Dealer’s Contracts Act (Law 75) by selling Supreme Party Platters directly to Costco while bypassing Medina. Hormel counterclaimed, asserting that Medina was not an exclusive distributor. The district court ruled (1) Medina’s exclusivity claim was time-barred, and (2) notwithstanding the time bar for Medina’s exclusivity claim, Hormel’s sales of Supreme Party Platters to Costco violated Law 75. The First Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part, holding (1) Medina’s exclusivity claim as presented was time-barred; but (2) the statute of limitations bar to recovery also extends to Medina’s Costco-related claim. View "Medina & Medina, Inc. v. Hormel Foods Corp." on Justia Law