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Diving overview:
- Campbell’s has placed its IT executives on furlough. employee lawsuit The executive allegedly made other disparaging comments about the company’s Indian workers, saying the company’s food was highly processed and meant for “poor people.”
- Former employee Robert Garza says in a lawsuit filed Nov. 20 that he was fired in retaliation for trying to report Martin Bally, vice president of information technology. audio recording He no longer buys Campbell’s food because they use bioengineered meat and “chicken that comes out of a 3D printer.”
- Campbell’s said in a statement the claims were “unacceptable” and Bally said: take temporary leave While the investigation is ongoing.
Dive Insights:
As the tech executive’s alleged comments gained traction on social media, Campbell came out strongly against the statement about its ingredients and alleged use of bioengineered meat.
The company said in a statement that its meat comes from USDA-approved suppliers and does not allow the use of antibiotics in poultry farms. “We do not use 3D printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or artificial or bioengineered meat in our soups,” Campell’s said.
Cultivated meat, also called lab-grown meat or biotech meat, is highly regulated and still cannot be sold in grocery stores. This product is only available in select restaurants nationwide.
The complaint was filed Nov. 20 in Michigan Circuit Court in Wayne County. Bally and Garza are both Michigan residents, and Campbell’s is based in New Jersey.
In addition to naming Campbell as a defendant, a lawsuit was filed against Bally as an individual and against Garza’s manager, JD Aupperle, who alleges he failed to encourage Garza to move to human resources and that Garza was responsible for his termination.
Garza’s lawyers said Bally went beyond comments about the company itself, calling Indian workers “idiots” and expressing that he did not like working with them. Bally also said edible marijuana got him to work.
Campbell said in a statement that the comments “do not reflect the values and culture of our company.” The company added that the comment was made by someone working in the information technology (IT) field and had “nothing to do with the way we make food.”
Campbell’s is best known for its namesake soups, but it also has an extensive portfolio that includes Rao’s Homemade Sauces and Prego. The company has seen increased demand for soups and sauces due to inflation. Consumers seeking value and cooking 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 a statement. “We know that millions of people use Campbell’s products and we are honored by the trust they have placed in us. The comments recorded about our food are not only inaccurate but downright outrageous.”
