Billionaire Elon Musk has committed to resolving a dispute with a California bakery after his company cancelled a substantial pie order, leaving the owner facing significant financial losses.
Upon being informed of the situation, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the matter, stating, “Just learning about this. Will ensure things are made right with the bakery.”
The incident revolved around Musk’s company Tesla retracting an order for 4,000 mini pies from Giving Pies, a Black-owned bakery situated in San Jose, California. The order, placed on Valentine’s Day, amounted to $6,000 for the small business.
Voahangy Rasetarinera, the bakery owner, recounted encountering difficulties securing payment despite initial assurances from Tesla. Eventually, a Tesla representative named Laura apologized for the delay and expanded the order to 4,000 pies, assuring that payment was not an issue.
Despite the bakery’s concerted efforts to fulfill the enlarged order, Tesla failed to respond to invoices and eventually informed Rasetarinera that the order was no longer needed.
The abrupt cancellation had a substantial impact on the small business, as Rasetarinera had declined other catering opportunities to fulfill Tesla’s order. She expressed her frustration on Facebook, revealing that she had relied on Tesla’s assurances only to be left in a precarious position.
Tesla later clarified that Laura lacked the authority to approve payments. However, as of Thursday, the bakery had not received payment for the pies, though Tesla offered a tour of their factory as a goodwill gesture.
Musk’s acknowledgment of the situation on Friday indicates a potential resolution in the works. He expressed on X, “People should always be able to count on Tesla trying its best,” suggesting a commitment to addressing the issue.