Campbell Soup Company Exec Allegedly Mocked 'Poor People' and Ranted Racist Slurs in Tape

A Campbell Soup Company executive has been placed on temporary leave after a former employee filed a lawsuit alleging he recorded the senior leader mocking 'poor people', ridiculing Campbell's products and making racist remarks about Indian colleagues during a private meeting.

The alleged comments, captured in a 75-minute recording, are now at the centre of claims that the company maintained a hostile work environment and fired the whistleblower who reported the incident.

Former cybersecurity analyst Robert Garza says he secretly recorded the meeting after sensing 'something wasn't right' before sitting down with Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer Martin Bally in late 2024. The meeting was initially billed as a routine salary discussion but quickly shifted into what Garza described as an explosive tirade that left him feeling 'pure disgust'.

Lawsuit Details Claims of Profanity and Racist Slurs

According to the lawsuit filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, Bally allegedly attacked the very customers who buy Campbell's products, saying the company made 'sh*t for poor people' and questioning who would purchase the brand's soups.

Garza says the executive then criticised Campbell Soup Company ingredients, claiming they included 'bioengineered meat' and adding that he would not eat chicken produced by a '3-D printer'.

The lawsuit further alleges that Bally launched into racist attacks on Indian colleagues, referring to them as 'idiots' and saying they 'didn't know anything' or think for themselves. According to Garza, the recording also captured Bally admitting he sometimes came to work high after consuming marijuana edibles, a disclosure that he says shocked him.

The meeting, recorded without the executive's knowledge, lasted just over an hour. Garza told local media he initially kept the audio private while he processed what he had heard, later deciding he had an obligation to report the behaviour.

Soup Company Responds

Campbell Soup Company confirmed Bally has been placed on leave pending an internal investigation. In a statement shared to The Post, the company said that if the comments were made, they were 'unacceptable' and did not reflect the values or culture of the organisation.

The company also defended the quality of its products, saying the claims about ingredients were 'patently absurd' and that Campbell's remained proud of the food it produced and the employees behind it.

The company noted it was not aware of the existence of the recording until the lawsuit was filed.

Whistleblower Cites Termination After Reporting Misconduct

Garza said he reported Bally's comments to his manager, JD Aupperle, in January, weeks after the meeting. According to the lawsuit, he had no performance issues and had even received praise from Bally during the same meeting in which the alleged remarks were made.

However, Garza says the reaction from the company was swift and punitive. He was fired 20 days after reporting the behaviour, a move his legal team argues was meant to silence him and prevent further scrutiny.

Attorney Zachary Runyan said his client was 'sticking up for other people' and was blindsided by the dismissal.

Garza alleges he received no follow-up from human resources and believes the termination constituted retaliation for reporting discrimination and harassment. He said it took 10 months to secure new employment after leaving Campbell Soup Company and described the handling of the situation as 'simply terrible'.