Campbell's fires executive who was recorded saying company's products are for 'poor people'

https://whyy.org/articles/campbells-fires-executive-for-profanity-tirade/

The Campbell’s Co. said Wednesday it has fired an executive who was 
recorded making racist comments and mocking the company’s products and 
customers.

Martin Bally, a vice president in Campbell’s information security 
department, was named in a lawsuit filed last week by Robert Garza, a 
former Campbell’s employee who said he was fired Jan. 30 after he reported 
Bally’s comments to a supervisor.

The lawsuit was filed in Michigan, where both Garza and Bally live. 
Campbell’s is based in Camden, New Jersey.

In the lawsuit, Garza claimed he met with Bally in November 2024 to 
discuss his salary. During the meeting, which Garza allegedly recorded, 
Bally described Campbell’s as “highly process(ed) food” and said it was 
for “poor people.”

Garza claimed in the lawsuit that Bally made racist remarks about Indian 
workers, whom he called “idiots.” Garza said Bally also told him that he 
often went to work high after consuming marijuana edibles.

Campbell’s said Wednesday it first learned of Garza’s lawsuit last week. 
After listening to portions of the recording, Campbell’s said it believed 
the voice was Bally’s. Bally was fired 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.”

Garza’s attorney didn’t respond when The Associated Press asked for a copy 
of the audio recording.

But according to Local 4 news in Detroit, which interviewed Garza and 
played a portion of the recording on air, Bally said Campbell’s products 
were unhealthy during his expletive-filled rant.

“Bioengineered meat. I don’t want to eat a piece of chicken that came from 
a 3D printer,” Bally said.

Campbell’s defended its chicken Wednesday, saying it comes from long-
trusted U.S. suppliers, is raised without antibiotics and meets high 
quality standards.

“The comments heard on the recording about our food are not only 
inaccurate, they are patently absurd,” Campbell’s said.

Larry Kopp, the chairman and founder of The TASC Group, a strategic 
communications and public relations company, said Campbell’s should have 
fired Bally and reached a settlement with Garza as soon as it learned of 
the incident.

“If they had settled they would not be in this mess,” Kopp said. 
“Recordings like these are devastating and should never see the light of 
day.”

Garza is seeking monetary damages from Campbell’s, Bally and from his 
former manager, J.D. Aupperle. Garza said he told Aupperle about the 
conversation with Bally shortly before he was fired.

Campbell’s said Wednesday that Aupperle remains employed by the company.


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.