Campbell Soup Company Sued for Employment Discrimination and Retaliation

Detroit, Michigan — Campbell Soup Company is facing a lawsuit alleging employment discrimination and retaliation after a former employee claimed he was fired for reporting inappropriate behavior by a senior executive. The case, Garza v. Campbell Soup Company, was filed on November 20, 2025, in Wayne County Circuit Court by the Runyan Law Group on behalf of Robert Garza.

The defendants named in the lawsuit are Campbell Soup Company and Garza’s former supervisor, J.D. Aupperle. The allegations arise from a recorded encounter during which a senior executive supposedly made derogatory comments regarding Campbell’s products and employees.

Garza, who worked as a security analyst, claims he recorded a meeting with Martin Bally, Campbell’s Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, in late 2024. Initially thinking they would discuss his salary, Garza claims the conversation devolved into an hour-long rant where Bally made racially charged remarks and disparaged both the company’s products and its employees.

Parts of the recorded conversation, aired by Local 4 News in Detroit, feature Bally expressing disdain for Campbell’s products, stating, “We have s**t for f***king poor people,” and making offensive remarks towards Indian employees.

After hearing these comments, Garza reported Bally to Aupperle in January 2025. His lawyer, Zachary Runyan, noted Garza felt compelled to protect his colleagues who were subjected to Bally’s remarks. However, Garza was terminated on January 30, 2025, about 20 days after making the report.

Runyan pointed out that Garza had no previous disciplinary issues during his employment. According to Garza, he did not receive any follow-up from Human Resources after he submitted his complaint, and the firing negatively affected his job search, resulting in ten months of unemployment.

The lawsuit alleges Campbell Soup Company fostered a racially hostile work environment and retaliated against Garza for his complaint under Michigan law. In a statement, Campbell Soup Company acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations, promising an active investigation into the matter.

Garza criticized the company’s motto about treating employees “like family,” asserting it did not reflect his experience. Currently, the case is in the early stages of litigation, with potential settlement discussions expected as evidence exchanges proceed.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the critical issues will focus on whether Garza’s termination was indeed retaliatory and if Bally’s alleged comments can be considered part of a hostile work environment.