Campbell’s rebuts ‘absurd’ claims of 3D-printed chicken after alleged recording surfaces

Campbell’s is pushing back against misinformation about its ingredients following the release of an alleged audio recording tied to a retaliation lawsuit filed by a former employee.

The recording was released by Robert Garza, who is suing the company for allegedly retaliating against him after he raised concerns about then–information technology vice-president Martin Bally.

According to details reported by ABC News, the lawsuit cites an alleged conversation between Bally and Garza that Garza secretly recorded during a meeting in 2024. In the audio, Bally is reportedly heard making disparaging remarks about Campbell’s consumers and its products, including crude comments about the healthiness of the soups and claims that they contained “bioengineered meat” or “3D-printed” chicken.

Don't miss: Campbell's cooks up grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup scented candles

The suit reportedly states that Garza planned to report Bally’s behaviour to HR but was dismissed weeks later. Campbell’s told ABC News that Garza, who had been with the company for less than five months, was terminated for “good reason”.

Garza is reportedly suing for retaliation and a hostile work environment, and is seeking emotional and economic damages.

Campbell's said it first became aware of the litigation, and segments of the recording, on 20 November. After reviewing the clip, the company said it believes the voice to be Bally’s. The company also described the comments as “vulgar, offensive and false,” adding that the behaviour “does not reflect our values”. Bally is no longer with the company as of 25 November.

In addition, the company moved quickly to address claims circulating online suggesting its soups contain artificial, lab-grown or 3D-printed chicken. Campbell’s called the claims “patently absurd,” reiterating that all its soups are made with real chicken sourced from long-trusted, USDA-approved US suppliers.

The brand said its chicken meets strict safety, quality and animal-welfare standards. All soups are produced with “no antibiotics ever” chicken, and Campbell’s does not use lab-grown meat, 3D-printed ingredients or any form of bioengineered meat. Its facilities are subject to USDA oversight, including in-person inspections, and the company works only with approved and audited suppliers.

Campbell’s added that it remains committed to “acting with character, integrity and transparency,” emphasising the trust it has built over more than 150 years.

The incident comes as food brands continue to battle viral misinformation about their ingredients. In 2021, McDonald’s publicly debunked long-running “pink slime” rumours after an image of a bright pink substance circulated online and was wrongly linked to its chicken McNuggets. The fast-food giant clarified that its nuggets are made from USDA-inspected boneless white-meat chicken, not the “pink goop” depicted in the viral photo.

Related articles: 
Nike blends sports and Cantonese soup culture with pop-up in Guangzhou    
Jiang Nan, GIGIL continue 'Gallery of mess' campaign with soup flavours     
The Soup Spoon looks to help Singaporeans stay on track with their New Year's resolutions