Posted online: Aug 27th, 2010

By Sinéad Flanagan
Editor

KILDARE’S BEST LOVED chocolate maker has been left with a bittersweet taste in her mouth, after a woman filed a lawsuit again her business, claiming that staff asked her to leave a Manhattan café for breastfeeding her five year old daughter.
Lawyers for Julia Acevedo-Taylor filed legal papers with Manhattan Supreme Court last week against the chocolate maker.
Mary Ann O’Brien, founder and managing director of Lily O’Brien Chocolates says that although she wasn’t there at the time of the alleged incident “I have been assured by my staff in New York that mothers have been and will continue to be welcome to breastfeed on the premises.
“Our organization is more aware of women’s issues than most – it’s not only run by a woman and employs a predominantly female workforce, but it is also hugely dependent on female consumers across the globe choosing our chocolates above those of our competitors.
Adding: “I would never condone insensitive treatment of breastfeeding mothers and I would expect our staff to uphold the same values.”