Campbell Soup Company has terminated one of its top executives following the emergence of a secret recording containing shocking remarks about the company's products, customers, and colleagues. The incident has sparked a major controversy for the 155-year-old food manufacturer.
The Secret Recording That Cost an Executive His Job
Martin Bally, who served as vice president and chief information security officer at Campbell's, was allegedly recorded making inflammatory comments during a company meeting in November 2024. The recording was made by Robert Garza, a former cybersecurity analyst who claims he was subsequently fired after complaining about his supervisor's behavior.
According to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Garza last week in Michigan, Bally described Campbell's chicken soup as containing "bioengineered meat" and stated, "I don't wanna eat a piece of chicken that came from a 3D printer." The 75-minute recording also captured Bally making derogatory comments about customers and colleagues.
Campbell's Swift Response to the Controversy
Campbell's Company moved quickly to address the damaging allegations, confirming that Bally was no longer employed by the company as of November 25, 2025. While acknowledging that the voice on the recording belonged to their former executive, the company vehemently denied the accuracy of his statements.
In an extensive public statement, Campbell's described Bally's comments as "vulgar, offensive and false" and emphasized that they "do not reflect our values and the culture of our company." The company apologized for the hurt caused by the remarks and stated they would not tolerate such language under any circumstances.
The iconic soup maker provided detailed reassurances about their product quality, stating: "The chicken meat in our soups comes from long-trusted, USDA-approved U.S. suppliers and meets our high quality standards. All our soups are made with No Antibiotics Ever chicken meat. Any claims to the contrary are completely false."
Legal Fallout and Customer Concerns
The controversy has prompted Campbell's to address customer concerns directly on their website, adding a new FAQ section that specifically references the damaging recording. Questions now include "Is Campbell's chicken 3D-printed?" and "Why do some people think Campbell's uses 3D-printed or artificial chicken?"
According to the lawsuit, Garza alleges that he reported Bally's inappropriate comments to his manager but was not directed to contact human resources. He claims he was "abruptly terminated from employment" shortly after the meeting where the recording was made.
Garza is seeking compensation for emotional distress, reputational damage, and economic harm, along with attorney's fees. The former employee claims he suffered stress, humiliation, embarrassment and mental anguish as a result of the incident and subsequent termination.
Campbell's stated they first became aware of both the lawsuit and segments of the recording on November 20, 2025, and emphasized their commitment to product quality: "We take enormous pride in the food we make. Our soups are made with real ingredients, including real chicken meat that meets our high standards for taste, quality, and safety."
The company, whose canned soups were famously immortalized in Andy Warhol's pop art paintings, concluded by reaffirming their connection with consumers: "The love we have for the food we make has connected us with families for over 150 years."
