Voahangy Rasetarinera, owner of The Giving Pies in San Jose, California, found herself in a challenging predicament after Tesla, the electric car giant led by Elon Musk, abruptly canceled a substantial order for $16,000 worth of pies intended for a Black History Month event. The last-minute cancellation, which came after Rasetarinera and her team had already doubled their efforts to meet the expanded request, has left the bakery owner grappling with significant financial losses and questioning the corporate responsibility of major companies like Tesla.
The saga began on Valentine's Day when Rasetarinera was approached by a representative from Tesla, who initially ordered 2,000 mini pies for an upcoming event to honor Black History Month. The order, which was later doubled to 4,000 pies, was seen as a significant opportunity for The Giving Pies, a small Black women-owned business known for its quality catering services to Silicon Valley's tech giants, including Google, Apple, and Adobe.
Despite Rasetarinera's prompt action to fulfill the order, including turning down other Black History Month catering inquiries and purchasing the necessary supplies, Tesla failed to process the payment. Rasetarinera recounted her concern when the payment did not materialize, telling ABC7, "I'm like, 'Okay, I'm gonna wait, you know, and they are professional, they are a big company. So once it's approved, it's approved.'"
However, the situation took a turn for the worse when, after inquiring about the overdue payment, Rasetarinera received a casual text message from the Tesla representative, informing her that the company had changed its plans and would no longer require the pies. The sudden reversal left Rasetarinera and her business reeling, with the bakery owner expressing her disillusionment on social media, stating, "This abrupt reversal left me reeling, realizing the extent of the impact on my small business."
Rasetarinera's attempts to seek clarity from Tesla were met with an explanation that the cancellation decision came from upper management, a response that did little to mitigate her sense of betrayal. "To me, it was clear that Tesla's corporate culture prioritized convenience over accountability, disregarding the livelihoods of small business owners like myself," Rasetarinera wrote on her Facebook page.
In the aftermath of the cancellation, Rasetarinera said a Tesla employee reached out to clarify that there had been a miscommunication, and the original representative had not been authorized to promise any payment. Despite this, the financial toll on The Giving Pies was significant, with Rasetarinera estimating a loss of $2,000, as reported by ABC7.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Rasetarinera emphasized her resilience as a black woman entrepreneur and her commitment to her heritage and community involvement, including supporting charities like E-Sports for children's sports inclusion. "As I reflect on this ordeal, I am reminded of the resilience and determination that have propelled me forward," she stated, underscoring her resolve to overcome the setback caused by Tesla's abrupt cancellation.
