Goya Foods
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food and beverage |
| Founded | 1 January 1936 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Prudencio Unanue Ortiz and Carolina Casal de Valdez |
| Headquarters | Jersey City, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Spain |
Key people | Robert Unanue (CEO) |
| Products | Food and beverage products inspired by Spanish and Latin American cuisine |
| Revenue | Approximately $1.5 billion (annual) |
| Owner | Unanue family (third generation) |
Number of employees | 4,000 (2020s) |
| Website | goya |
Goya Foods, Inc. is a privately held American multinational company specializing in the production and distribution of food and beverage products, catering to markets in the United States and various Spanish-speaking regions. Headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, the firm maintains operations across the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Spain. It continues to be owned by the third generation of the Unanue family, descendants of Spanish immigrants and original founders Prudencio Unanue Ortiz and Carolina Casal de Valdez. Generating annual revenues near $1.5 billion and employing around 4,000 individuals, Goya stands as a prominent entity within the food industry, focusing on Spanish and Latin American culinary products.
Established in 1936 in New York City by Prudencio Unanue Ortiz—who had prior experience running a wholesale operation in Puerto Rico—the company chose the "Goya" brand to resonate with American consumers. Following Prudencio’s passing in 1976, leadership transferred to his sons—Joseph A., Charles, Francisco, and Anthony Unanue—with Joseph acting as CEO during a period marked by considerable growth. By 1998, Goya's workforce numbered approximately 2,000 employees, its product portfolio included close to 800 items, and its revenue reached an estimated $700 million.
In 2004, Robert Unanue (son of Anthony) succeeded Joseph as CEO amid internal family disagreements concerning the company’s strategic direction. At that point, Goya’s revenue had exceeded $1 billion. The familial disputes also resulted in the removal of Joseph’s son Andy Unanue from his role as COO and presumed successor. Since assuming leadership in 2004, Robert Unanue has concentrated on strategic management aimed at advancing company growth and enhancing market presence.
In 2012, Goya allocated $127 million toward constructing a state-of-the-art distribution facility within Jersey City’s industrial Meadowlands district, leveraging tax incentives from New Jersey to consolidate operations formerly situated in Secaucus.
Although discussions took place in 2019 regarding a potential acquisition by The Carlyle Group valued at approximately $3 billion, the family ultimately opted to retain ownership to preserve control over corporate strategy and governance.
Description
Goya’s core business revolves around producing and distributing food items inspired by Spanish, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Mexican, Cuban, as well as Central and South American culinary traditions. Their products are extensively stocked throughout supermarkets across the United States—including Puerto Rico—and international outlets. In 2006, Forbes placed Goya at number 355 among the largest private companies in the U.S.
Between 2014 and 2016, Goya expanded its footprint by inaugurating five new manufacturing and distribution centers located in New Jersey, Texas, California, and Georgia to meet increasing consumer demand. The company’s main headquarters occupies a 40-acre property in Jersey City, New Jersey. Additionally, Goya manages a production plant in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, alongside a distribution hub in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Goya Gives
The "Goya Gives" program represents the company’s charitable efforts supporting community organizations, scholarship funds, and local events. This initiative includes substantial donations of products to food banks during emergencies such as Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, Goya contributed over 300,000 pounds of food—equivalent to roughly 270,000 meals—and distributed more than 20,000 protective masks to organizations throughout the United States.
In 2012, Goya aligned with First Lady Michelle Obama's "My Plate" campaign promoting healthy eating habits.
Political perspectives
During a White House roundtable on the Hispanic Prosperity Initiative held on July 9, 2020, Robert Unanue, co-owner and CEO of Goya Foods, commended President Donald Trump as "a builder," voicing his endorsement of the administration's leadership and the nation's economic well-being. These comments triggered calls on social media for a boycott, with prominent Latino figures including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Julian Castro, and Lin-Manuel Miranda supporting the movement. Unanue characterized the ensuing criticism as an infringement on free speech and declined to issue an apology. In response, advocates organized a counter-effort dubbed a "buycott," while Goya emphasized its commitment to donating food supplies to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a GoFundMe initiative was launched to gather resources for distributing Goya products to food banks.
On December 7, 2020, Unanue remarked that Ocasio-Cortez had effectively been named "employee of the month" due to her boycott call driving a tenfold surge in sales. Subsequently, on January 26, 2021, Goya's board of directors formally reprimanded Unanue after he publicly challenged the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results, prohibiting him from engaging with media outlets. An anonymous insider revealed that his public statements threatened the company's stability and shareholder interests. While a majority of board members supported his removal as CEO, governance rules tied to family ownership prevented such action.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2021, Unanue asserted that the 2020 election lacked legitimacy and maintained that Trump remained "the real, the legitimate, and still actual president."
In April 2023, Jura Liaukonyte, an economics professor at Cornell University, observed that boycott attempts targeting Goya ultimately failed and instead resulted in increased sales driven by new customers—a trend commonly seen in brief boycott campaigns.
In popular culture
The branding and visual elements of Goya Foods have been featured in works by distinguished Cuban-American artist Ric Garcia, sculptor Alexander Mijares, and painter John Kilduff, among others. These artistic collaborations underscore the brand's cultural significance extending beyond its commercial activities.
See also
External links
- American companies established in 1936
- Food product brands
- Food manufacturers of the United States
- Food and drink companies based in New Jersey
- Companies based in Jersey City, New Jersey
- Hispanic and Latino American cuisine
- Hispanic and Latino American culture in New York City
- Hispanic and Latino American culture in New Jersey
- Latin American cuisine
- Spanish-American cuisine
- Spanish-American culture in New York City
- Food and drink companies established in 1936
- Latino conservatism in the United States
- 1936 establishments in New York City
- Privately held companies based in New Jersey
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment