A former Campbell’s Company employee alleges he was fired after reporting racist remarks and disparaging comments an executive made about the company’s own products – remarks secretly captured in an audio recording now at the center of a new lawsuit.
Robert Garza, a former cybersecurity analyst, filed a racial discrimination, harassment, and retaliation suit Nov. 20 in Michigan’s Wayne County Circuit Court. In the complaint, Garza says that during a November 2024 meeting, Campbell’s vice president of information technology, Martin Bally, mocked the company’s food and the people who buy it.
According to Garza – and a recording he provided to Local 4 WDIV Detroit – Bally called Campbell’s products “highly processed food for poor people,” saying, “We have shit for poor people… I don’t buy fucking Campbell’s products barely anymore.”
The voice on the recording also claims Campbell’s soups contain “bioengineered meat” and compares chicken in the cans to meat from a “3D printer.”
Garza further alleges Bally made racist remarks about Indian employees, calling them “idiots,” and claimed he sometimes came to work high on marijuana edibles.
Campbell’s Response: “Unacceptable… Patently Absurd”
Campbell’s confirmed Bally has been placed on temporary leave pending an internal investigation. In a statement, the company said that if Bally indeed made the recorded comments, “they are unacceptable” and “do not reflect our values and the culture of our company.”
The company defended its products, calling the comments on the recording “not only inaccurate — they are patently absurd,” and emphasized that its chicken comes from “long-trusted, USDA-approved U.S. suppliers” and meets its quality standards.
Campbell’s also noted that an IT executive made the alleged remarks with no involvement in food production.
Why Garza Says He was Fired
Garza claims he reported Bally’s comments to his manager on Jan. 10, 2025, and wanted to escalate the issue to human resources. He alleges his manager discouraged him from doing so.
Garza says he was terminated 20 days later for raising concerns about racial harassment and discrimination – accusations the company denies. He is suing Campbell’s, Bally, and his former manager, alleging wrongful termination, a hostile work environment, and violations of his civil rights. The lawsuit seeks emotional, economic, and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees.
Garza told WDIV it took him 10 months to secure another job after his firing. “They have a motto: ‘We treat our employees like family,’” he said. “That’s not the case.”
Company Once Again Defends its Food
In another statement, Campbell’s reiterated: “We are proud of the food we make, the people who make it and the high-quality ingredients we use. We know that millions of people use Campbell’s products, and we’re honored by the trust they put in us.”
As of publication, no court response from Campbell’s has been filed, and the company says it did not learn of the recording until after the suit.
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