UPDATE: May 16, 2016 at 12:00pm

This morning, Pastor Jordan D. Brown dropped the lawsuit he filed against Whole Foods last month, admitting that the company did nothing wrong. On April 18, Brown pressed charges against the grocery chain, claiming that an employee wrote a homophobic slur on the cake he'd purchased at the in-store bakery. Whole Foods promptly denied the claim and filed a counter suit.

In a statement released today, Brown concedes that he falsely accused Whole Foods of the icing incident, and apologizes to the community:

"Today I am dismissing my lawsuit against Whole Foods Market. The company did nothing wrong. I was wrong to pursue this matter and use the media to perpetuate this story. I want to apologize to Whole Foods and its team members for questioning the company's commitment to its values, and especially the bakery associate who I understand was put in a terrible position because of my actions. I apologize to the LGBT community for diverting attention from real issues. I also want to apologize to my partner, my family, my church family, and my attorney."

Whole Foods responded to the news with a statement on their website:

"We're very pleased that the truth has come to light. Given Mr. Brown's apology and public admission that his story was a complete fabrication, we see no reason to move forward with our counter suit to defend the integrity of our brand and team members."

Now that the truth has been revealed, it looks like Brown will be eating a slice of humble pie...or cake, and Whole Foods will no longer pursue $100,000 in damages from him.

ORIGINAL POST: April 19, 2016 at 2:20pm

Who wouldn't love getting a cake with a surprise inside or some funny decorations on top? There's a fine line between humorous and inappropriate, however, and one Whole Foods customer is speaking out after discovering a seriously unwelcome surprise message on the cake he ordered from the store's bakery.

Pastor Jordan D. Brown of Austin, TX ordered a cake with custom icing at his local Whole Foods store. When he picked up the cake yesterday, he claims he found the words he'd requested, "Love Wins," piped onto the cake—in addition to a gay slur in the center. Brown, an openly gay leader at the Church of Open Doors—an LGBT-friendly congregation—tweeted a photo of the cake, calling out Whole Foods for the offensive message written in frosting.

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He also posted a YouTube video detailing how the day unfolded, claiming that he'd only noticed the extra word on the cake during his drive home from the store. He mentions that he called and spoke to a Whole Foods representative who was initially apologetic and requested that the issue be handled internally, but then called back two hours later claiming that the bakery employee didn't write the message.

Many people took to social media, questioning how Brown could have failed to notice the icing until he'd already left the store and pointing out the difference in handwriting. To many, it appeared as though he'd altered the cake himself after purchasing it. An updated Whole Foods statement posted on the company's site further solidifies this idea. Whole Foods denies that their employee wrote the slur and announces the company's intent to sue Brown:

After a deeper investigation of Mr. Brown's claim, we believe his accusations are fraudulent and we intend to take legal action against both Mr. Brown and his attorney. Here's what we know:

  • Our bakery team member wrote "Love Wins" at the top of the cake, which was visible to Mr. Brown through the clear portion of the packaging. That's exactly how the cake was packaged and sold at the store. Whole Foods Market has a strict policy that prohibits team members from accepting or designing bakery orders that include language or images that are offensive.
  • Mr. Brown admits that he was in sole possession and control of the cake until he posted his video, which showed the UPC label on the bottom and side of the box.
  • After reviewing our security footage of Mr. Brown, it's clear that the UPC label was in fact on top of the cake box, not on the side of the package. This is evident as the cashier scans the UPC code on top of the box.
  • We stand behind our bakery team member, who is part of the LGBTQ community, and we appreciate the team members and shoppers who recognize that this claim is completely false and directly contradicts Whole Foods Market's inclusive culture, which celebrates diversity.

Yours Truly, Whole Foods Market

The statement also provides video footage of Brown paying at the checkout counter, where it's clear that the UPC label is scanned on the top and side of the box, while Brown's YouTube video show it located on the bottom and side:

Brown held a press conference with his lawyer yesterday evening where he expressed his "pain, anguish, and humiliation," but he has yet to comment on Whole Foods' statements. You can decide for yourself whose side you're on, but if Whole Foods does in fact press charges, we'll find out soon enough what truly went down.

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