Popcorn Problems: Garrett's Popcorn Is In Standoff With Former Employee That Allegedly Stole Recipe

Chicago Tribune - Garrett’s Popcorn Shops says it guards its recipes so closely that only three employees have access to the information, by verifying their identity via thumbprint.

On Monday, the company, whose formal name is Caramel Crisp, filed a federal lawsuit against one of those three people who it says was fired in early March, alleging that more than 5,000 files were wrongfully downloaded in the days before the termination, putting its secret recipes at risk.

The former employee, Aisha Putnam, served as the director of research and development for about four years at the Chicago gourmet popcorn chain, according to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In that role, she had access to some of Garrett’s highly confidential trade secrets, along with the CEO and a vice president, the lawsuit states.

The release of Garrett’s secret recipes, formulas and other trade secrets “would be severely detrimental” to its business and “cause irreparable harm,” the lawsuit states.