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Alongside the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, independent Long Island-based bakery The Savory Fig announced on Wednesday, April 24 that it was voluntarily recalling its baked items following a scandal the month before.
Earlier Report: Long Island Vegan Bakery Accused Of Re-Selling Dunkin' Donuts
All products will be pulled due to possible undeclared allergens (like soy, wheat gluten, or milk), including the bakery’s:
- Classic frosted rolls;
- Matcha cinnamon rolls;
- Maple pecan oat scones;
- Blackberry crumb muffins; and
- Donuts.
The viral situation began with one of said donuts in early March 2024, when Huntington vegan grocery store Cindysnacks raised the alarm to fellow vegan Long Islanders.
Cindysnacks co-owner John Stengel said online that the store received a shipment of desserts from The Savory Fig.
However, one of the donuts looked eerily similar to their own.
The accompanying pictures posted showed a frosted donut with pink and orange sprinkles shaped like the letter “D,” similar to those used by the national chain Dunkin’, which does not have any vegan or gluten-free donuts on its menu.
Stengel pulled all of The Savory Fig’s items he received off the shelves, worried that they may contain allergens that would harm his customers.
In further Instagram posts, Stengel shared screenshots of texts between him and Michelle Siriani, the owner of The Savory Fig, during which Siriani allegedly claimed the sprinkles had come from Amazon and doubled down that they were homemade.
Stengel then purchased an at-home gluten test, which reportedly confirmed that the vegan donut contained gluten and was, in fact, not vegan.
“There is a certain mutual trust and respect the vegan community, especially small businesses, have amongst ourselves,” Stengel said.
The post spread like wildfire, with some naming the scandal “Donut Gate” and videos about the incident earning millions of views on sites such as TikTok and Reddit.
On Wednesday, March 6, Cindysnacks told customers that it had reported The Savory Fig to the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets.
As a registered “home processor,” The Savory Fig — whose Instagram, LinkedIn, and website are no longer available — is required to abide by guidelines including clearly identifying all allergens in its products, the Department said.
While no illnesses have been reported, the Department recommended in a press release that those with allergies who purchased baked goods from The Savory Fig discard them “out of an abundance of caution.”
“Thank you to all of our loyal customers for your support during this time,” The Savory Fig wrote at the end of the statement.
The Savory Fig has not responded to Daily Voice’s requests for comment.
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