Campbell's Fires Executive Caught on Secret Recording Saying Its Soups Are Full of Bioengineered Meat Made for Poor People
Campbell's Soup has fired the executive caught in a secret recording insulting customers and claiming the company's products were filled with bioengineered meat. Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer Martin Bally was placed on administrative leave after a lawsuit against Campbell's was filed the previous week and the audio recording was released. In the audio, a speaker identified as Bally was heard saying: 'We have s**t for f***king poor people. Who buys our s**t? I don't buy Campbell's products barely anymore. It's not healthy now that I know what the f**'s in it.' The voice, alleged to be Bally, also claimed that the chicken used in the brand's soups 'came from a 3D printer.' Campbell's revealed on Wednesday that their investigation concluded that the voice on the secret recording was Bally and the executive was removed from the company on Tuesday. 'The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused,' the company said in a statement. 'This behavior does not reflect our values and the culture of our company, and we will not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances.' The recording went public after former Campbell's employee Robert Garza filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination and retaliation after he reported the offensive and racist remarks allegedly made by Bally in 2024. Daily Mail has contacted Bally for comment.
In This Article:
- Investigation Confirms Bally Was the Voice and Details the Termination Timeline
- Lawsuit and Allegations: Garza Claims Retaliation for Reporting Remarks
- Campbell's Denies Bioengineered Meat Claims and Defends No Antibiotics Ever
- Regulatory Scrutiny Opens as Florida Probes Lab-Grown Meat Claims
- What Bioengineered Meat Is and Why It Matters
Investigation Confirms Bally Was the Voice and Details the Termination Timeline
Campbell's revealed on Wednesday that their investigation concluded the voice on the secret recording was Bally and the executive was removed from the company on Tuesday. 'The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused,' the company said in a statement. 'This behavior does not reflect our values and the culture of our company, and we will not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances.' The recording portrayed remarks attributed to Bally (the executive) and has been used to justify his firing. The Daily Mail reports that the company concluded Bally was the voice on the recording.
Lawsuit and Allegations: Garza Claims Retaliation for Reporting Remarks
The recording went public after former Campbell's employee Robert Garza filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination and retaliation after he reported the offensive and racist remarks allegedly made by Bally in 2024. Garza said he met Bally at a restaurant last year, hoping to discuss his salary, according to the lawsuit seen by the Daily Mail. However, the former remote worker allegedly recorded Bally during an hour-long rant that mocked the company's products, its employees and customers, and also made racist comments about Campbell's Indian staff members. 'F***ing Indians don't know a f***ing thing,' the person Campbell's has now identified as Bally said in the recording. 'Like they couldn't think for their f***ing selves,' the voice in the secret tape said in part. Garza's lawsuit claims he was abruptly fired from his position as a cybersecurity analyst in January 2025, which Garza believes was done in retaliation for reporting the comments made during his alleged meeting with Bally. 'Upon information and belief, Defendant [the supervisor] and Bally were responsible for Plaintiff's termination,' the lawsuit states. Robert Garza of Michigan (Pictured), filed a lawsuit against Campbell's on November 20. The suit claimed Garza reported the alleged remarks by Bally, but was fired a few weeks later.
Campbell's Denies Bioengineered Meat Claims and Defends No Antibiotics Ever
Campbell's said on Wednesday that they have determined Martin Bally was the voice in the recording and fired the former vice president of information technology. 'The chicken meat in our soups comes from long-trusted, USDA approved US suppliers and meets our high quality standards. All our soups are made with No Antibiotics Ever chicken meat,' the company declared. 'The comments heard on the recording about our food are not only inaccurate— they are patently absurd.' The company also emphasized its sourcing standards and denied any use of artificially created meats in its products.
Regulatory Scrutiny Opens as Florida Probes Lab-Grown Meat Claims
However, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has said the state is launching an investigation into the claims Campbell's uses lab-grown meat in its popular soups. Bioengineered meat, also called cultured, cell-based, or lab-grown meat, is real animal meat produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment instead of raising and slaughtering livestock. Florida banned lab-grown meat in 2024 primarily to protect traditional agriculture and family farms, citing concerns about the industry disrupting livestock markets.
What Bioengineered Meat Is and Why It Matters
Bioengineered meat, also called cultured, cell-based, or lab-grown meat, is real animal meat produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment instead of raising and slaughtering livestock. Florida banned lab-grown meat in 2024 primarily to protect traditional agriculture and family farms, citing concerns about the industry disrupting livestock markets. The conversation around lab-grown meat centers on food safety, sustainability, and the future of livestock farming.
