Dive Brief:
- Campbell’s has placed an IT executive on leave after an employee lawsuit claimed the executive said the company’s food was highly processed and for “poor people,” along with other disparaging remarks against Indian workers at the company.
- Former employee Robert Garza said in a lawsuit filed Nov. 20 that he was fired in retaliation for wanting to report Vice President of Information Technology Martin Bally, who allegedly also said in an audio recording he doesn't buy Campbell's food anymore because it uses bioengineered meat and “chicken that came from a 3D printer.”
- In a statement, Campbell’s said the alleged comments are “unacceptable” and that Bally has been temporarily put on leave while it conducts an investigation.
Dive Insight:
As the technology executive's alleged comments gained steam on social media, Campbell’s forcefully pushed back against the statements made about its ingredients and its alleged use of bioengineered meat.
The company said in a statement that its meat comes from USDA-approved suppliers and it does not allow its chicken farmers to use antibiotics. Campell's said it does not use “3D-printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or any form of artificial or bioengineered meat in our soups.”
Cultivated meat, also called lab-grown or bioengineered meat, is highly regulated and still not available for sale in grocery stores. These products are only offered at a few select restaurants around the country.
The complaint was filed on Nov. 20 in the Michigan Circuit Court for Wayne County. Both Bally and Garza are Michigan residents, while Campbell's is headquartered in New Jersey.
In addition to naming Campbell’s as a defendant, the lawsuit was also filed against Bally as an individual and Garza’s manager J.D. Aupperle, who allegedly didn’t encourage Garza to go to human resources and who Garza claims was responsible for his termination.
Attorneys for Garza say that Bally went beyond comments against the company itself, also calling Indian workers “idiots,” and expressing that he didn’t like working with them. Bally allegedly also said he came to work high from marijuana edibles.
In its statement, Campbell’s said the alleged comments do not “reflect our values and the culture of our company.” The company added that the comments were allegedly made by a person who works in information technology and "has nothing to do with how we make our food.”
Campbell's is best known for its namesake soups, though it also owns a vast portfolio that includes Rao's homemade sauces and Prego. The company has seen increased demand for its soups and sauces as inflation pushes more consumers to seek value and cook at home.
“We are proud of the food we make, the people who make it and the high-quality ingredients we use to provide consumers with good food at a good value,” the company said in the statement. “We know that millions of people use Campbell’s products, and we’re honored by the trust they put in us. The comments heard on the recording about our food are not only inaccurate—they are patently absurd.”
