A Bakery Accepted Tesla’s Order for 4,000 Pies. In the End, Elon Musk Had to Step In to Prevent It From Going Bankrupt

Large companies not only create jobs and wealth for their employees but also drive economic growth for other businesses in their communities. Sometimes, however, they can inadvertently put those businesses at risk.

In 2024, a small artisan bakery in San Jose, California, nearly went bankrupt after attempting to fulfill a massive mini pies order for Tesla’s offices. A last-minute cancellation left the business drowning in debt. According to The Guardian, Tesla CEO Elon Musk personally intervened.

Tesla’s Sweet Request

Voahangy Rasetarinera, owner of The Giving Pies bakery, was asked to fulfill an order for 2,000 mini pies for a Tesla employee event.

The order was a major financial opportunity, but given the bakery’s limited resources, it also presented a significant logistical challenge. Rasetarinera consulted with her staff, and they agreed to take on the order, sending an invoice to Tesla. The delivery dates were set for Tuesday and Thursday of the following week.

Tesla redirected payment to an outside vendor, City Flavor, which failed to respond to payment requests after the first delivery. “I remained optimistic as I awaited payment on Thursday. Yet, when payment failed to materialize, I grew concerned,” Rasetarinera shared on Instagram.

That same day, Laura, Rasetarinera’s contact at Tesla, called to apologize for the payment delay, citing the supplier’s inexperience. During the call, Laura also asked to double the order. The total bill for the 4,000 mini pies was $16,000—half of which had already been delivered, with no payment from Tesla.

The bakery had to increase its efforts, paying overtime, buying more ingredients, and, most critically, turning down other orders to meet Tesla’s demand.

After another staff meeting, they agreed to proceed. Rasetarinera sent Tesla a revised invoice and messaged Laura, requesting payment for the first batch.

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“I’m a small business. I don’t have the luxury of infinite resources so I really need to be paid so I can secure my staff,” she wrote, according to KRON4.

Click on the image to view the post on Instagram.

But the relief was short-lived. A week before delivery, Tesla abruptly canceled the order. Rasetarinera shared on Instagram: “I called Laura at 2 p.m. only to get her voicemail. A few minutes later, my hopes were shattered when I received a text from Laura, casually informing me that the plan had changed and Tesla would no longer require the order.”

Unpaid Bills and 2,000 Mini Pies in the Oven

The cancellation had serious consequences for The Giving Pies. The bakery had already invested in ingredients and labor for Tesla’s order. What seemed like a great opportunity turned into a financial crisis.

“I had invested time, resources, and effort based on assurances from Tesla, only to be left high and dry,” Rasetarinera told The Guardian.

The story spread quickly through social media and local media outlets, sparking outrage over Tesla’s handling of the situation. The uproar eventually reached Musk himself.

Musk Steps In

After learning about the situation, Musk took action. He apologized on X and promised to fix the issue. “Just hearing about this. Will make things good with the bakery,” he wrote.

Musk’s solution was simple but effective: Tesla would buy all the pies The Giving Pies could produce and distribute them to local charities. “People should always be able to count on Tesla trying its best,” he posted.

The experience ultimately benefited The Giving Pies. Not only did it recover financially, but it also gained publicity and community support. As its website now highlights, the bakery serves some of Silicon Valley’s top tech companies.

Image | MJ Tangonan (Unsplash)

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