SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — A Florida Chinese restaurant chain is suing chicken giant Perdue Farms Inc. alleging the company stole its General Tso's and bourbon chicken recipes.
Longwood-based Food Systems Unlimited Inc. operates 67 fast-food stores in 15 states. The company claims Salisbury, Md.-based, Perdue Farms cheated it out of more than $100 million by taking its recipies while the companies were negotiating for Perdue to manufacture chicken dishes for Longwood's mall stores.
''They took our recipe, our client's recipe, and changed it around enough, I think, they felt they would not be subject to litigation and took it to market,'' said Hans Kennon, Food Systems' attorney.
Kennon filed the Circuit Court suit earlier this month.
Perdue farms denies the charges.
Julie DeYoung, a Perdue spokeswoman, said the recipes were developed by a Perdue division that had nothing to do with the Food Systems' negotiations. Perdue Farms distributes its General Tso's and bourbon chicken in grocery stores.
Perdue investigated Food Systems' allegations, ''and we found them to be without merit,'' she said.
