The Campbell's Company has terminated an executive after a leaked audio recording allegedly captured him disparaging the brand's products and customers. Martin Bally, the company's vice president for information technology, was fired on Tuesday following an internal review of the recording.
In the recording, obtained by Click on Detroit, a man identified as Bally is heard saying, 'We have s**t for f***ing poor people,' and questioning who buys the company's products. He also claimed he no longer purchases Campbell's items because they are unhealthy and contain 'bioengineered meat' from a '3-D printer'.
The recording is part of a lawsuit filed by Robert Garza, a former Campbell's employee. Garza alleges that during a November 2024 meeting to discuss his salary, Bally made racist remarks about Indian workers and admitted to using marijuana edibles before work. Garza claims he was fired on January 30 after reporting the incident to his supervisor.
Campbell's issued a statement apologising for the comments, describing them as 'vulgar, offensive and false'. The company confirmed Bally's dismissal but noted that Garza had not informed them of the recording before making it public. Bally has not commented.
Campbell's also defended its chicken products, stating they come from trusted U.S. suppliers, are raised without antibiotics, and meet high quality standards. Garza is seeking monetary damages from Campbell's, Bally, and his former manager.
