A man is suing Texas Pete hot sauce because it is not manufactured in the Lone Star State, nor is it a Texas-style sauce.
“Although Defendant brands the Products ‘Texas Pete,’ there is surprisingly nothing Texas about them: unknown to consumers, the Products are standard Louisiana-style hot sauces, made with ingredients sourced outside the state of Texas, at a factory in North Carolina,” reads the complaint.
Phillip White, who is reportedly from California, launched the suit after discovering that the popular sauce does not have a distinct connection to the state.
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Because of the product’s name and use of Texas imagery, the plaintiff claims that the “defendant knowingly and intentionally capitalizes on consumers’ desire to partake in the culture and authentic cuisine of one of the most prideful states in America.”
In a statement to NBC 5, the company that manufactures the sauce, T.W. Garner Food Co., said, “We are aware of the current lawsuit that has been filed against our company regarding the Texas Pete brand name. We are currently investigating these assertions with our legal counsel to find the clearest and most effective way to respond.”
Texas Pete’s website describes how it came to be called such, explaining that creator Sam Garner and his sons came upon the idea while brainstorming names. Originally, they thought about calling it “Mexican Joe” but opted to call it Texas Pete after one of his son’s nicknames — and because Texas “also had a reputation for spicy cuisine.”
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The suit cites this admission as evidence, claiming, “Defendant admits that it knows (and has always known) its Product labeling is false and deceptive.”
