Chef Pii’s pink sauce hit Walmart store shelves after going viral in the Summer of 2022, but now the entrepreneur is asking for help.
Chef Pii founder Veronica Shaw — is seeking support via Go Fund me where she claimed that a partnership deal she had fell through and she is out of money.
On her GoFundMe she said was financially sabotaged by a company she trusted, accusing them of not paying royalties owed.
Read below:
Hi, my name is Veronica Shaw, I am the founder of The Pink Sauce LLC. one of the most viral sauce sensations of 2022.
As a young entrepreneur with big dreams, I followed my intuition and went forth toward my dreams to create something new. I made a few mistakes on the way.
Which lead me to trust a company that is trying to take everything away from me. They lied to me. They are not paying me and are not being transparent about records.
I have tried on multiple occasions to try and come to one accord with them but they refuse to reimburse me for marketing expenses that I spent my own funds towards.
I have been silenced and financially sabotaged.
I am a single mom and I do everything for my kids.
Right now I don’t even have enough money to buy my kids food on my own.
My mom is on disability and has been giving us $20 just to get by on a daily basis.
School is a few days away I haven’t been able to get my kids clothes or anything.
I am currently facing an eviction that has gone into default the sheriffs can come to my door any day now.
I need legal help.
They are refusing to pay me the royalty that is owed to me. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t give up. I need help.
So far Chef Pii has raised a little over $600 of the 100K she is asking for.
Prior to this development, The Pink Sauce company teamed up with Daves’ Gourmet, and the product was placed in over 4,300 Walmart store locations exclusively as well as online.
According to the LA Times Dave’s Gourmet took Pii under its wing in August 2022 to further develop, produce and distribute the dragon fruit-based sauce.
David Neuman, president, and CEO of the company, said he saw the controversy as an opportunity for Dave’s Gourmet to innovate its brand while also successfully supporting a budding food entrepreneur.
“It’s a Willy Wonka-meets-Cinderella type of story. You know, mad scientist with an idea figures out how to get that product made and sold nationally and comes out smelling like a rose even though she got really beat up by people by not being able to fill the orders or not having the knowledge to make the product commercially,” Neuman said.
Their partnership with Walmart had been in the works since the summer of last year and should have continued until this Summer.
Pii, stood firmly behind her product, and had only two conditions when the company approached her: that the color remains natural and that the flavor profile — described as a sweet and sour sauce — remain the same.
In order to make the product safe and scalable for mass consumption, Dave’s Gourmet had to alter the recipe and packaging method.
On an Instagram live Chef Pii alleges that the retail Giant is the company she is seeking the royalties from.
Click here for the Gofundme.
And you can still find the sauce here on Daves Gourmet’s product page.
Update
Dave’s Gourmet contacted us and issued a statement to address and counter Chef Pii’s claims.
They tell Emily Cottontop exclusively:
Dave’s Gourmet has adhered to the terms of the agreement with Ms. Shaw.
We disagree with Ms. Shaw’s allegations.
Dave’s Gourmet has paid Chef Pii over $120,000 to date and it continues to make all payments as due and on time based upon the terms of the contract.
We’ve offered to reimburse Ms. Shaw for her lawyer’s time to go over the terms of the agreement and how it relates to the payments that were made to Ms. Shaw.
She indicated that she’s open to an amicable resolution of the dispute and the parties are in discussions.
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