Photo: Getty Images
Veronica Shaw, the creator of the viral Pink Sauce, claims she's being "financially sabotaged" following a soured business deal with a manufacturer.
Shaw, known on social media as Chef Pii, made the claims on a GoFundMe page she created to raise money to save her from financial ruin.
“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,” she wrote on the fundraiser.
Last year, Shaw's unique condiment went viral on social media. She began filling thousands of orders with a three-person staff to fill the skyrocketing demand for her pink sauce.
The creator faced criticism over food safety and distribution as customers claimed to receive rancid bottles and crushed packages. Amid dwindling demand, Dave's Gourmet, a specialty food company and distributor, stepped in “to lend a helping hand as an industry stalwart to a budding foodie and entrepreneur,” company president David Neuman told Rolling Stone in January.
“Clearly, she needed to commercialize her product idea and didn’t have the experience to get this done as quickly as her followers were calling for,” Neuman said.
With the company's help, Pink Sauce launched as a gluten-free and vegan product at 4,300 Walmart locations and on Dave Gourmet's website, retailing for less than $10.
Shaw, however, claims she was denied royalties.
"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,” she wrote on her GoFundMe page.
Shaw said the retailer failed to reimburse her for marketing expenses, leaving her feeling “silenced and financially sabotaged.”
“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,” Shaw said. "My mom is on disability and has been giving us $20 just to get by on a daily basis."
Her current relationship with Dave's Gourmet remains unclear.
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