Campbell's IT chief on leave after lawsuit claims he said company's food is for 'poor people'

"Martin Bally, Campbell's vice president of information technology, was named in a lawsuit filed last week by Robert Garza, a former Campbell's employee. The lawsuit was filed in Michigan, where both men live. Campbell's is headquartered in 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 that Bally made racist remarks about Indian workers, whom he called "idiots," according to the lawsuit. Garza said Bally also told him that he often went to work high after consuming marijuana edibles. Garza said he told his manager, J.D. Aupperle, on Jan. 10 that he wanted to report Bally's comments to Campbell's human resources department. Garza said Aupperle didn't encourage him to report the comments but also gave him no advice on how to proceed."

"In its statement Tuesday, Campbell's said that if the comments on the audio recording were in fact made by Bally, they are unacceptable. "Such language does not reflect our values and the culture of our company," the company said. "We do not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances." Campbell's added that the comments were allegedly made by someone in IT "who has nothing to do with how we make our food." "We are proud of the food we make,"

Martin Bally, Campbell's vice president of information technology, was placed on leave while the company investigates claims he made racist comments and mocked products and customers in an audio recording. Robert Garza filed a lawsuit claiming he recorded a November 2024 salary meeting in which Bally described Campbell's as "highly process(ed) food" for "poor people" and called Indian workers "idiots." Garza alleges Bally said he often went to work high after consuming marijuana edibles. Garza told his manager he wanted to report the comments, received no guidance, and was terminated on Jan. 30. Garza seeks damages and names Bally and the manager. Campbell's said such language is unacceptable, does not reflect company values, and noted the person worked in IT and was unrelated to food production.

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