HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A High Point-based coffee company is suing a major grocery chain over what they claim is deceptive advertising of a product similar to what they sell. Puroast filed the lawsuit last month in Florida federal court, where they're incorporated, claiming that Trader Joe's is falsely advertising low-acid coffee, which they say is not low acidity but is less caffeinated than normal coffee, which they don't acknowledge in the marketing. "This is a false advertising case that seeks to expose and stop the sale of coffee that Trader Joe’s has misleadingly been advertising and selling as 'low acid.' Testing has confirmed that the coffee being sold by Trader Joe’s as 'low acid' contains less than half the caffeine as true coffee. Consumers seeking true low acid coffee are deceived by the false and misleading claim by Trader Joe’s that its product is low acid coffee. Trader Joe’s conduct puts consumers at a heightened level of health risk and allows Trader Joe’s to sell its product at a market premium, all while harming Puroast in its sale of true low acid coffee," according to the complaint. The complaint defines "low-acid coffee" as coffee that has a pH level above 5.5 or at least 50% less acid than regular coffee without additives or treatments. Regular coffee is "fairly acidic" which can make it difficult or impossible to drink for people with certain health conditions. Puroast has its own proprietary roasting methods in order to minimize the acidity. "Importantly, Puroast’s coffee also retains its full flavor and caffeine content," the complaint says. "In other words, it is truly a regular coffee with significantly lower acidity." Sand cat at Greensboro Science Center advances to final round of nationwide photo competition The company say that this is what makes Puroast unique, "as other brands that do not have access to Puroast’s proprietary roasting technologies and, as a result, they can offer only watered-down, substituted or neutralized beverages that have significant impacted caffeine levels, taste profiles or both." This is where the issue stems from, according to the lawsuit, which accuses Trader Joe's of chasing the low-acid coffee trend in "by offering low acid coffee to consumers that has been steamed to reduce acidity. The steaming process reduces the potency of the coffee, essentially watering it down, and greatly reducing its caffeine content." The Trader Joe's "low-acid" coffee has significantly less caffeine and does not have a pH above 5.5, which is considered the threshold for low-acid coffee. "Trader Joe’s has made these false and/or misleading statements (representing decaf or half caff coffee as regular low-acid coffee) to capitalize on several consumer trends without making the investment or changes needed to produce authentic low-acid coffee," the lawsuit continues. "By falsely marketing decaf or half caff coffee as low-acid, companies can exploit this niche market without adjusting their sourcing or roasting processes, which can be costly." Puroast believes that this false and misleading advertising by Trader Joe's harms them, impacting the market for low-acid coffee. They are requesting that the monetary amount of damages be determined at trial. ...read more read less