Campbell’s is usually associated with comforting holiday staples—especially in the Midwest, where cans of cream of mushroom or chicken soup are practically non-negotiable for Thanksgiving dishes like green bean casserole.
But the brand known for nostalgia is facing a very different headline this season after one of its employees was removed from his role following a secretly recorded rant that targeted the company’s products and its customers.
According to a lawsuit filed in Wayne County Circuit Court and obtained by Click on Detroit, former Campbell’s security analyst Robert Garza captured more than an hour of Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer Martin Bally unleashing a sweeping, profanity-filled tirade during what was supposed to be a routine salary discussion.
Garza, who began working remotely for Campbell’s Camden, New Jersey headquarters in 2024, said he hit record on instinct—something, he claimed, felt off.
In the recording, Bally allegedly disparaged Campbell’s food, saying the company makes “highly processed” products for “poor people.”
At one point, he appeared to mock ingredients used in Campbell’s soups, saying, “Bioengineered meat—I don’t wanna eat a piece of chicken that came from a 3-D printer.”
He also reportedly admitted to showing up to work high from marijuana edibles and repeatedly insulted Indian employees, calling them “idiots” and insisting they “couldn’t think for their [expletive] selves,” according to statements cited in Garza’s filing.
Garza said the rant continued for more than 75 minutes and left him feeling “pure disgust.” In January 2025, he brought the recording to his direct supervisor, J.D. Aupperle. Twenty days later, he says he was terminated despite receiving positive feedback on his performance during the same meeting where the rant occurred.
His attorney, Zachary Runyan, told Local 4 that the timing speaks for itself: “He went to his boss and said, ‘Martin is saying this about our coworkers and the people who buy our food,’ and then he’s suddenly fired.”
The lawsuit accuses Campbell’s of retaliation and fostering a racially hostile work environment.
Campbell Soup Company issued a statement late Thursday, noting, “If accurate, the comments in the recording are unacceptable. They do not reflect our values and the culture of our company. We are actively investigating this matter.”