AUSTIN (KXAN) – The lawsuit against Whole Foods for writing a gay slur on a cake has been withdrawn.
Jordan Brown apologized to the company for using “the media to perpetuate this story.” He said the company did nothing wrong and he wants to apologize for questioning their values, and the bakery associate he accused in the lawsuit.
In light of Brown’s apology Whole Foods has decided to drop their counter-suit. A spokesperson said “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.”
Brown also apologized for diverting attention away from “real” LGBTQ issues. He ended his statement apologizing to his partner, family, church, and attorney.
In April, Brown said he went to a Whole Foods on North Lamar Boulevard for a cake that said “Love Wins,” but instead discovered the words “Love Wins F-,” an anti-gay slur. Brown claimed the cake was sealed with a sticker when the employee handed it to him.
Whole Foods countered the suit claiming the charges were fraudulent. Surveillance video from the grocery store showed Brown buy the cake April 14. A Whole Foods spokesperson said the UPC label was visible on the top of the cake in the video, and moved to the side of the box in the video Brown released.
The lawsuit stated Brown did not notice the additional word on the cake until he was at a stop light and looked down. He claims he left a voicemail to the Whole Foods corporate office, but never heard back.
In response to the lawsuit, Whole Foods issued a statement saying “We stand behind our bakery team member, who is part of the LGBTQ community, and the additional team members from the store, who confirmed the cake was decorated with only the message ‘Love Wins.'”
Jordan Brown’s email to Whole Foods and the Austin community below:
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.
-Jordan Brown