The German company is understood to be suing the Liverpool-based business for around £2 million over alleged production shortfalls.
First reported by The Telegraph, Capri-Sun claims that Princes’ inability to produce pre-agreed quantities of fruit juice resulted in unfulfilled supermarket orders.
In total, the drinks firm alleges that Princes’ failures cost it around £2.7 million in lost revenue and £847,000 in lost profit.
Capri-Sun’s European and British arms filed the claim earlier this year, alleging that the manufacturing group breached two contracts signed in 2024.
The allegations over Princes’ inability to fulfil production orders relate to a five-month period that year.
According to Capri-Sun, orders from some of the UK’s leading retailers were impacted, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda.
In its defence, however, Princes Group said it “does not accept the claims as presented”.
Noel Casey KC, for Capri-Sun, said in court documents: “Consequently, the claimants have been unable to fulfil, in whole or in part, orders received from a significant number of retailers including but not limited to Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Iceland, Ocado, Morrisons, Farmfoods, Co-op and Amazon.
“This led to shortages of Capri-Sun products at numerous retailers, with certain resellers running out of Capri-Sun products completely.
“During this period, the claimants were unable to fulfil orders for several hundred thousand cases.
“The claimants estimate their lost revenue from this period to be approximately £2,676,778.18 and their lost profits to be approximately £847,202.11.”
Capri-Sun’s lawyers also allege that Princes committed multiple breaches of the agreements, including through a “unilateral suspension of production and delivery” in January 2026.
Casey said that a warehousing and distribution agreement was reached in January 2024, followed by a co-manufacturing agreement two months later.
He went on to allege that in January 2026 Princes suspended production and delivery of Capri-Sun products until the drinks firm paid £2.583 million.
Although production later resumed, Capri-Sun claims that Princes indicated it would once again suspend production.
As such, Capri-Sun is seeking damages, an injunction requiring Princes to continue manufacturing, and a declaration that the £2.6 million sum was not owed.
Casey said that product lines manufactured by Princes did not meet efficiency targets, resulting in its inability to “produce the quantities of Capri-Sun products required”.
This meant that Princes produced roughly 1.3 million fewer cases than agreed in 2024 and 2025, with a further shortfall of 800,000 expected in 2026, Capri-Sun’s legal team alleged.
Further claims by Capri-Sun alleged that Princes did not “properly safeguard and account for” products, leading to around £85,000 worth of stock being written off.
Capri-Sun also claimed that a Princes manufacturing error led to a widespread recall of its product in Northern Ireland last month, when some batches were incorrectly labelled as containing no sugar.
A Princes Group spokesman said: “Princes Group does not accept the claims as presented and intends to defend the proceedings.
“As the matter is now before the court, it would not be appropriate to comment on the individual allegations or potential further legal steps.
“Princes will set out its position through the appropriate legal process.”
