The Campbell’s Company said on Wednesday that its Vice President of Information Technology, Martin Bally, is no longer employed by the company following a lawsuit that publicized an alleged audio recording of the executive making disparaging and racist comments.
CPB stock is moving. See the details here.
The controversy stems from a lawsuit filed by former cybersecurity analyst Robert Garza, who claims he was fired in retaliation after reporting Bally’s hour-long rant.
Read Next: Billions Down The Toilet As Private Equity Firms Take Bath On Hot New ‘Continuation Vehicle’ Strategy
In the recording, Bally allegedly referred to Campbell’s products as “highly processed food” for “poor people” and made derogatory remarks about Indian co-workers.
Bally also allegedly claimed that Campbell's used bioengineered meat, according to the Washington Post.
"I don't buy … Campbell's products anymore," Bally said. "I don't want to eat a … piece of chicken that came from a 3D printer."
Garza's lawsuit also claims that Bally said he "often appeared at work high from marijuana edibles."
In a response updated on Wednesday, Campbell’s stated the alleged comments are “unacceptable” and do not reflect company values.
"After a review, we believe the voice on the recording is in fact Martin Bally. The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused," the company said in the statement.
"This behavior does not reflect our values and the culture of our company, and we will not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances. As of November 25, Mr. Bally is no longer employed by the company," the statement added.
Campbell's also strongly refuted Bally’s claims about its products, asserting they are “patently absurd” and clarifying that the chicken in their soups is 100% real, USDA-approved, and “No Antibiotics Ever.”
Read Next:
Alphabet Stock Is Extremely Overbought: Is A Google Pullback Coming?