11/29/2025
DO YOU STILL BUY THIS ?
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Whatās happened to Campbellās lately
Campbellās changed its corporate name from āCampbell Soup Companyā to The Campbellās Company to reflect that itās more than just canned soups now. They own many snack, beverage, and sauce brands in addition to soups.
As part of restructuring, Campbellās announced it would shut some older plants and consolidate its production facilities. For example, itās closing its Oregon plant (that made organic soups, broths, plant-based beverages) and shifting production elsewhere.
The company says they plan to invest ~$230 million over a few years to upgrade and modernize their supply chain and manufacturing footprint.
In short: Campbellās is adapting ā diversifying beyond soup into snacks/condiments, modernizing infrastructure, and restructuring operations.
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ā ļø What sparked controversy ā and what they said about people
Very recently, a major scandal hit Campbellās:
A former employee filed a lawsuit alleging that an executive at Campbellās ā Martin Bally (then-Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer) ā disparaged Campbellās products, its customers, and coworkers. The lawsuit claims Bally said the companyās soups were āfood for poor people,ā among very offensive, racist, and derogatory remarks about Indian workers.
According to the lawsuit, during a meeting in November 2024, Bally allegedly said things like āWe have s--- for f---ing poor peopleā and disparaged customers. Heās also accused of calling Indian employees āidiotsā and making racist statements.
Bally also reportedly referred to the soupās chicken as ābioengineered meatā and said he didnāt want to eat āa piece of chicken that came from a 3-D printer.ā
The impact:
Campbellās confirmed that they believed the voice in the recording was Ballyās and announced that he was no longer employed by the company.
The company issued a statement condemning the remarks as āvulgar, offensive and false,ā saying they werenāt reflective of Campbellās values or culture ā and apologized for any hurt caused.
They also denied the claim that their soups contain ābioengineeredā meat. According to them, their soups use ā100% real chickenā from long-trusted, USDA-approved U.S. suppliers.
At the same time, the former employee who recorded the meeting (the one who filed the lawsuit) alleges he was fired shortly after reporting the remarks ā which he views as retaliatory.
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š§© What this means ā and why people are talking about it
The backlash explains why many longtime fans of Campbellās might feel betrayed or upset: the comments from a high-ranking executive insulted not only Campbellās products, but also the people who buy them (many of whom might rely on affordable food like canned soups).
It raises questions about corporate culture and accountability at a firm many consider a legacy brand. If the behavior is real, it suggests serious systemic issues ā racism, disrespect for customers, misrepresentation of food quality.
From a consumer standpoint: Campbellās felt compelled to publicly defend its ingredient quality (denying ābioengineered meatā) ā showing how trust and brand image are now at stake.
From a business/industry standpoint: This incident comes when Campbellās is already trying to transform itself (rebranding, supply-chain restructuring) ā the controversy threatens to complicate that transformation, possibly shaking investor and consumer confidence.
what do you think ?
