The Cakemaker Jordan Rondel told DailyMail.com that she spent the majority of this year working on a cake collaboration with Chrissy Teigen, only to have the supermodel’s company steal the ideas for the box of her new baking mixes several months later.
This Monday, Rondel, 33, who owns The Caker, made the charge – a month after the couple debuted a collaboration for a spiced carrot cake mix, which also included the singer’s husband, John Legend.
She stated in a phone interview on Thursday that Teigen initially contacted her about collaborating on Instagram, but she primarily worked with her team at Cravings until the line was published in September.
Chrissy was the first person to reach out to me on Instagram; she was quite sweet and instantly contacted me with her team, according to Rondel.
She had nothing but good things to say about Teigen as a person, but ‘there did seem to be a gap’ between her and the Cravings employees.
Rondel initially shared her worries with her 64,000 Instagram followers via a comparison of the two designs. She quickly received around 8,000 likes.
She stated, “My message was actually an acknowledgment of everyone’s support and an attempt to highlight a little larger issue of how big firms creep in on tiny businesses by cooperating with them and coming out on top.”
Regarding the response she’s received, she said, “I’m performing 1,000 jobs per day, and I noticed on Instagram that people were posting… It has been quite overwhelming. With that Instagram post, I merely wished to express my appreciation to those who [supported us]. When Cravings introduced their line, I essentially did not know what to think.
Rondel noted that she has found the responses to be “overwhelming, uplifting, and somewhat unexpected.”
The baker stated that she has not heard from anyone associated with Cravings or Teigen herself, but she has “no plans to pursue legal action” because to their “low resources.”
She stated, “If Cravings disagrees that any IP theft has occurred, that is quite acceptable.” This may all be a massive coincidence. I simply do not believe we are being recognized adequately.’
When contacted by DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Teigen’s Cravings vehemently refuted the charges.
A Craving’s spokesperson stated, “It’s sad and shocking to read The Caker’s recent social posts and remarks about our products.”
Rondel affirms that she is not angry or resentful about what has occurred, but that she is “truly trying to find the silver lining in this whole circumstance.”
“The cake mix category is substantial.” The luxurious expansion is highly specialized,’ she stated. There is no wrong in a little healthy competition, and it may attract more attention. This is the perspective I’m attempting to maintain towards the situation.
She did note, though, that large corporations trampling on the little guy is “an all too typical occurrence.”
Rondel, a native of New Zealand who now resides in Los Angeles, was “startled” to discover that Teigen’s brand packaging was strikingly identical to her own.
She told Stuff.co.nz, “Even her little story portion where I indicate where I have my story and then sign it off, and then the way she expresses what you need and what you get, are identical.”
I believe that they have drawn much influence from us. Let’s just say I do feel like some significant inspiration has been taken.
We’ve committed everything we have into developing a brand, despite the fact that we’re a minuscule brand. Now, though, a portion of that market is being seized by someone else, and we are being pushed to the sidelines.
Fans of The Caker have dubbed Teigen “The Faker,” with one follower stating, “It’s a clear rip-off of your ideas.” She stinks.
Rondel stated that she was aware that Teigen was releasing a cake mix, but was promised that the new product would be very different.
She was appalled, however, when she saw Cravings’ redesigned boxes, which both featured bold photographs on a white background and a hand interacting with the final product.
On October 20, the model and television personality debuted her mixes, which include Chrissy’s Ultimate Banana Bread Mix, Buttermilk Mochi Pancake and Waffle Mix, and Salted White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Mix.
She further asserted that Cravings attempted to terminate their partnership, claiming that they had already acquired a new equity partner and thus had no choice.
Rondel recognized that she “didn’t originate the concept of a cake mix,” which retails for $25, but stated that she had worked diligently to secure a niche for her “premium, enhanced cake mix.”
She told Stuff, “I find it hard to imagine she doesn’t have a voice in her own product line.”
This is a slightly different story if she is not participating at all, although I find it hard to believe… There are so many parallels that it seems absurd.’
A spokesperson for Cravings vehemently refuted the allegations regarding the baking mixes, stating in a statement to DailyMail.com: ‘We are very pleased of the already sold-out Cravings x The Caker Spiced Carrot Cake Kit with Salted Caramel.
‘It’s sad and unexpected to see The Caker’s recent social media posts and remarks about our products.
The Caker crew was informed in May 2022 that Cravings will be introducing a range of baking mixes in the fall as a result of our one-time partnership.
Cravings refrained from making a cake mix out of respect for the partnership and instead released banana bread, pancake, and cookie mixes on October 20.
She has now apologized for her behavior after being accused of bullying the non-binary celebrity, now 26, when they were 16 years old.
Teigen said that she had “done something bad” and was “lost and miserable” as a result of what she had done.
The model fought with New York Times food columnist Alison Roman, who was terminated in May 2020 for criticizing the model’s website and accusing her of racism.
Additionally, she frequently attacked former president Donald Trump on Twitter, criticizing Equinox and SoulCycle for organizing a fundraiser.
Teigen was compelled to dispel rumors when Twitter trolls claimed she and her husband John Legend were on Epstein flight logs as the conspiracy theory reemerged online.
She was also criticized for past social media posts that appeared to make light of Lindsay Lohan’s 2011 self-harm and called Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham a “w****.”
Abraham stated a year ago that the celebrity had not apologized for her words, and that she was also responsible for causing harm to her child by making insults about her mother.
Teigen allegedly abused child actress Quvenzhané Wallis in deleted tweets in 2013, calling her “cocky” after she attended the Academy Awards.
The Cravings spokeswoman stated, “We did not copy their packaging in any way.” Listed below are side-by-side images of our respective boxes.
The Caker team’s social media posts compared the front of our box to the back of their own.
‘The front of their packaging differs from the photographic approach we adopted, since their design tends to have a solid, bright color and a sleeve as opposed to the typical box form we have employed.
We wish The Caker and their business nothing but the best, which was the spirit underlying our partnership and open communication.
After launching her mini-food empire under the Cravings brand in 2016, Teigen has begun developing her own food products.
The model has shared her passion for food and recipes with her 38 million Instagram followers and maintains a food blog, cooking videos for families, and an online store.
She had previously tagged The Caker in an Instagram story in February, complimenting Rondel’s flourless dark chocolate gold leaf cake and posted a snapshot of it half-eaten, in which she gushed about its deliciousness.
Rondel responded to Teigen’s thank-you note by extending the improbable collaboration proposal.
Rondel’s fans were quick to criticize Teigen after she placed the two boxes next to one another.
One individual labeled her “The Faker” and stated, “it’s definitely a straight rip-off of your designs.” She stinks.
Someone else remarked, “This is so disgusting and disrespectful of her!” Your cake kits and business are one thousand times superior to hers. You are the cake king and the original.’
Some even commented on the Cravings Instagram account, asking, “Haven’t you just promoted a collaboration for a comparable product with a woman-owned, independent business?”
A second individual stated, “Everything you collaborate on becomes your own business opportunity for you to exploit and benefit from.” Yay! How absolutely humiliating.
Rondel representatives did not immediately react to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.