Global food giant Campbell's Company has terminated one of its top executives after he was allegedly recorded making racist comments about Indian colleagues and criticizing the company's products as "highly processed food for poor people."
Executive's Offensive Comments Spark Outrage
Martin Bally, who served as Vice President of Information Technology at Campbell's, was dismissed from his position after the company confirmed his voice on a controversial recording. According to a lawsuit filed on November 20, 2024, in Michigan's Wayne County Circuit Court, Bally referred to his Indian coworkers as "idiots" during a meeting with former employee Robert Garza.
The lawsuit reveals that Garza, who was hired as a cybersecurity analyst in September 2024, recorded the conversation during a November 2024 meeting to discuss his salary. The recording allegedly captured Bally making vulgar and offensive remarks about both the company's workforce and its food products.
Company's Swift Response and Investigation
Campbell's acted quickly upon learning about the recording, initially placing Bally on temporary leave on Tuesday while conducting an internal investigation. By Wednesday, the company confirmed Bally's termination, stating he was no longer employed as of Tuesday.
"After a review, we believe the voice on the recording is in fact Martin Bally," Campbell's stated in an official release. "The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused."
The company emphasized that such language "doesn't reflect Campbell's values or culture" and would not be tolerated within the organization.
Lawsuit Alleges Retaliation and False Claims About Products
Robert Garza's lawsuit contains several serious allegations beyond the racist remarks. The legal filing claims that Garza was fired in retaliation for reporting Bally's comments to his manager. Both Bally and Campbell's are named as defendants in the case, which alleges violations of state civil rights law.
The controversy extended to Campbell's product quality when Bally allegedly claimed the company's soup contains "bioengineered meat" and expressed his unwillingness to eat "a piece of chicken that came from a 3-D printer," as reported by Local 4 News in Detroit.
In response to these allegations, Campbell's released a fact sheet vigorously defending its ingredients, stating clearly that it does not use "3D-printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or any form of artificial or bioengineered meat in our soup."
Bally has not responded to multiple requests for comment regarding the allegations or his termination from Campbell's.
