On Tuesday, Campbell’s Co. announced that it has suspended one of its executives amid an investigation into allegations of racist remarks and disparaging comments about the company’s offerings and clientele, captured in an audio recording.

Martin Bally, the vice president of information technology at Campbell’s, was identified in a lawsuit initiated last week by Robert Garza, a former employee of the company. The legal action was filed in Michigan, where both individuals reside, although Campbell’s main offices are located in New Jersey.

Garza’s lawsuit claims that during a meeting with Bally in November 2024 to discuss Garza’s salary, Bally allegedly criticized Campbell’s products as “highly processed” and suggested they were intended for “poor people,” a conversation that Garza reportedly recorded.