Who is Jim Martin? Bread firm boycotted after $110k donation to Trump-backed Doug Mastriano
High profile chefs and local restaurants have boycotted Martin's potato rolls after it came to light that the famous bread-making family donated money to the conspiracy theorist and republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor, Doug Mastriano. Jim Martin, who is the current executive chair and former president of Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe, donated $110,000 to Mastriano's gubernatorial campaign. It was also revealed that Martin's wife and daughter contributed to the campaign too.
This information was revealed in an April report in Spotlight PA. A Trump-backed senator, Mastriano was vocal about promoting the claim that former president Donald Trump won the 2020 election. He is also said to have attended and helped organize the January 6 protest, which turned into a deadly riot at the Capitol that claimed lives.
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Mastriano is currently a Pennsylvania state senator. Following the 2020 elections, he played a big role in unauthorizing Pennsylvania voting machines. He reportedly also attempted to convince lawmakers to ignore the state's election results in favor of naming their own winner. After the mass shooting at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School, Mastriano retweeted a video of himself comparing gun control laws to Nazi Germany.
Who is Jim Martin?
Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc. was founded by Lloyd and Lois Martin in 1955. It is still owned and operated by the Martin family. Jim Martin is the current executive chair and former president of the company. Jim reportedly passed the role of president to his son, Tony, in July 2021. However, he is still involved with the direction and strategy of the company. Other family members are also part of the company's operations.
"Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc. was founded by Lloyd and Lois Martin in 1955 and is still owned and operated by the Martin family to this day. Not only that, but we also consider ourselves one big work family. Each member of our “family” has a key role in the success of the company, and working together is what helps us make the high-quality product you see each week on your grocery store shelf," the company's website says.
Martin's was started in 1955 in the garage of Lloyd and Lois Martin. Headquartered in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the company now has famous chefs such and Danny Meyer and David Chang working for it. Martin's potato roll is favored as a hamburger and sandwich bun. "To us, giving back to our surrounding community through service projects, product donations, and contributions to nonprofit organizations is part of who we are. Even in the early days of Lloyd and Lois Martin, resources were used to help make our world a better place. That legacy continues today as Martin’s donates a portion of earnings to select charities each year," the website says.
A number of local restaurants across the country have come together to boycott the company, and are trying to replace the potato buns. Some famous chains like Hard Rock Cafe and Shake Shack, however, are still using thier products. "Shake Shack has always championed equality, inclusion and belonging at our company — and we know these values are important to our guests and team members," a representative for Shake Shack told the Washington Post. "Shake Shack does not make political donations, nor does the company endorse the political donations of private individuals. In regards to the actions of individuals associated with Martin's company and their personal political donations - those are the choices of those individuals and do not express the values of Shake Shack. We continue to be in active conversations with Martin's to express our concern."
While Martin's has not directly commented on the matter, they tweeted on May 17, "Just like our country as a whole, Martin's company is made up of a diverse group of employees and stockholders, all of whom are free to support and vote for whomever they choose. Martin's as a company does not donate to any particular political candidate or party, but we encourage and celebrate the opportunity we all have to vote and share in the election process."