Nature’s Bakery To Countersue Stewart-Haas Racing (Update)

Nature's Bakery tired of losing

UPDATE Nature's Bakery's counter claim to the breach of contract suit brought against it by Stewart-Haas Racing asserts that the NASCAR team "could not control" driver Danica Patrick as she promoted competing products on social media.

The response in North Carolina superior court claims that SHR had promised at least "four times return" on its annual $15.2 million investment from "Danica Patrick, a social media megastar with massive crossover appeal." Nature's Bakery products were to be the exclusive "on-the-go" food of Patrick and the team.

According to Nature's Bakery's response, "SHR could not control Patrick's performance, particularly as to her social media, which Patrick often refused to use to promote Nature's Bakery. Nor could SHR guarantee exclusivity for Nature's Bakery's brand in category of on-the-go foods because Patrick was already endorsing a protein bar made by one of Nature's Bakery's competitors, Six Star Pro Nutrition ("Six Star"). It was as if Michael Jordan decided to wear Adidas while being paid by Nike." USA Today

02/16/17 Nature's Bakery announced intentions to countersue NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing in a sponsorship issue that appears to be getting ever more contentious. SHR sued Nature's Bakery earlier this month for breach of contract after the Nevada-based fig bar maker sent a note to SHR in mid-January saying it was going to terminate its three-year sponsorship deal worth $15.2M annually.

In a sharply worded press release today, Nature's Bakery called SHR's suit a "false legal complaint."

A quote from company CEO Kelly Allin adds, "Contrary to its image, SHR is run by big-business types that took advantage of Nature's Bakery. They now are threatening scorched earth litigation against a multi-generational family company. We're obviously not going to let them bully us. We may be a small brand, but we do not think what they are doing is right. We look forward to defending ourselves in court."

The loss of Nature's Bakery has left SHR with around 20 races to fill heading into the season, but that effort was helped with this week's announcement that Aspen Dental was stepping up its commitment with Danica Patrick's #10 Ford from four races to at least 10. Sports Business Daily