Paula Deen, the embattled TV cooking personality who leveraged her popularity into lines of merchandise, has been dropped by Walmart Stores Inc. (Bentonville, Ark.).
“We will not place new orders beyond those already committed,” said a Walmart spokesman. “We will work with suppliers to address existing inventories and agreements.”
The retailer has been carrying a variety of Deen-branded products for several years, including food items, cookware and health and wellness products, at all of its U.S. stores.
Deen, who has gotten into all kinds of trouble over a variety of allegations – from using racial slurs to capitalizing on her diabetes diagnosis – has already had her name stripped from four buffet restaurants owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp. (Paradise, Nev.); has been dropped as a spokesperson for Smithfield Foods Inc. (Smithfield, Va.), which also sells Paula Deen-branded hams; and has been told her contract with the Food Network won’t be renewed.
Target Corp. (Minneapolis), which also carries Deen-branded products, said it was “evaluating the situation.”