Texas Pastor Who Accused Whole Foods Employee of Writing Homophobic Slur on Cake Drops Suit

Jordan Brown, the openly gay Texas pastor who sued Whole Foods, claiming that an employee had written a homophobic slur on a cake he bought in April, has apologized to the chain and withdrawn his lawsuit, KVUE reports. 

“I want to apologize to Whole Foods and its team members for questioning the company’s commitment to its values, and especially the baker associate who I understand was put in a terrible position because of my actions,” Brown said in his statement Monday, asserting that "the company did nothing wrong." 

“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," the pastor added. 

Brown’s case drew attention last month after he claimed that he requested a cake from the supermarket chain with the phrase “Love Wins” written on it, only to receive his cake with a homophobic slur added. Brown blasted the company in an Internet video before filing a lawsuit. 

Whole Foods, however, immediately fought back, releasing surveillance footage showing the cake being purchased with the scan code in a different location from what was shown in Brown’s video and filing a countersuit. The company emphasized that the script on the cake should have been visible through the clear portion of the packaging, and Brown appeared unfazed in the video during the purchase. In addition, the bakery staff member accused by Brown of writing the slur was a “part of the LGBTQ community,” Whole Foods said.

According to KVUE, after Brown’s statement, Whole Foods dropped its countersuit now that “the truth has come to light,” the company said in its own statement. 

Read more at KVUE.