Java Bean Company Imports Coffee Beans and Sells Them Under

question 25

Essay

Java Bean Company imports coffee beans and sells them under two-year contracts to Mellow Roast,Inc.,and other coffeemakers.The contracts require that during the two-year term a coffeemaker not buy beans from Java Bean's competitors.The contracts do not limit the coffeemakers' purchase of tea or other beverage ingredients from other suppliers,how?ever.In the second year of the contract,Mellow Roast protests that this arrangement violates antitrust law.Is Mellow Roast correct? If not,why not? If so,under which antitrust statute,or statutes,could these con?tracts be held illegal?

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Definitions:

Consolidated Balance Sheet

A financial statement showing the combined assets, liabilities, and equity of a parent company and its subsidiaries.

Non-controlling Interest

A shareholder's equity in a subsidiary that is not attributable to the parent company, representing minority ownership.

Consolidated Net Income

The total earnings of a corporation, after tax, including earnings from subsidiaries, before distributing dividends.

Cost Method

An accounting approach where investments are recorded at their acquisition cost, without adjustment for increases or decreases in market value.