Kraft Foods is also accused, but did not participate in the joint appeal.
The turkey processors wanted Kendall to dismiss the charges, but she ruled the price-fixing allegations are plausible.
The case is in the Northern District of Illinois.
The allegations were filed by Olean Wholesale Grocery Cooperative and John Gross and Co. who say the accused plus other companies exchanged “competitively sensitive information” to raise the price of turkeys above normal market conditions.
Agri Stats Inc., which the plaintiffs allege was used to exchange the information, is also a defendant in the case.
In Canada, supermarket chains routinely use Nielsen Holdings PLC, giving it their retail prices and, in return, buying a report on the prices all their competitors are charging.
