The “Pink Sauce” heard around the world is leaving its creator penniless. Veronica “Chef Pii” Shaw is claiming that she’s broke despite her viral product being in stock and on retail shelves.
As reported by Blavity, the Pink Sauce craze spread like wildfire last year after the private chef posted captivating videos on TikTok, displaying the sauce being put on diverse foods. Drenching fried chicken and tacos with the vibrantly colored condiment led viewers to inquire what it actually tasted like. The controversy and mystery surrounding the food product led to retail giant Walmart taking a chance on the Black-owned food business.
While getting in Walmart’s inventory and introducing the product to families across the nation seemed to be a lucrative opportunity for the chef, it has not resulted in the big bucks she imagined. Despite her partnership with Dave’s Gourmet leading to the retail expansion, Chef Pii stated that she now needs financial help.
The entrepreneurial mother took to Instagram to announce her GoFundMe to help support her family.
“As a young entrepreneur with big dreams, I followed my intuition and went forth toward my dreams to create something new,” shared the content creator. “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 continued on the fundraising page to reveal further detail on her situation, “I have tried on multiple occasions to try and come to one accord with them but they refuse to reimburse me for marketing expenses that I spent my own funds towards. I have been silenced and financially sabotaged. I am a single mom and I do everything for my kids.”
Although she created the fund with the lofty goal of $100,000, at press time she was far cry from that amount. As of Aug. 21, donations have only barely surpassed $800. With a following of over 97,000, the lack of support is shocking, but the entrepreneur remains positive and hopeful that a generous few will see her through this tough time.