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Goya Foods

Goya Foods is a prominent privately owned food production company founded in 1936 by Spanish immigrants Don Prudencio Unanue and Carolina Casal in New York City. Specializing in products for Latin American and Spanish cuisine, Goya has grown to become the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States. Following its relocation to Secaucus, New Jersey, in 1974, the company expanded its operations globally, establishing numerous facilities across the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Spain. Goya is well-known for providing a wide array of authentic Latin American food products, such as beans, condiments, and frozen foods, which resonate with both Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers alike.

The company has also engaged in philanthropic efforts, contributing millions of pounds of food for disaster relief and supporting various community initiatives. Goya has faced controversies, particularly regarding the political statements of its CEO, Robert Unanue, which led to calls for boycotts and sparked dialogues about corporate responsibility and cultural representation. Despite these challenges, Goya Foods has maintained robust sales and continues to play a significant role in the food industry while promoting its commitment to cultural heritage and community support.

Full Article

Company Information

  • Date founded: 1936
  • Industry: Food industry
  • Corporate headquarters: Secaucus, New Jersey
  • Type: Private

Overview

Goya Foods is a privately owned food production company specializing in products for Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Established in New York City in 1936 by Spanish immigrants, Goya moved to New Jersey in 1974 and became the largest Hispanic-owned food company in America. The company remained family-owned and built its business by providing authentic Latin American foods and ingredients that became popular with American consumers, including immigrants from Central and South America.

In the early 2000s, Goya Foods moved to expand its reach worldwide. This resulted in the establishment of more than two dozen facilities employing thousands in the United States (including Puerto Rico), the Dominican Republic, and Spain. In the early 2020s, the company became the subject of controversy and the object of attempted boycotts because of comments made by its president and chief executive officer (CEO) in support of President Donald Trump. Through its Goya Gives global initiative, the company often participates in philanthropy for populations in crisis.

History

Goya was started in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife, Carolina Casal. Unanue emigrated from Spain in 1906 when he was eighteen. He and Carolina, who had also emigrated from Spain, married in Puerto Rico in 1921 and later settled in New York City, where he became a broker for Spanish-imported foods. In 1936, the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) cut off supply lines and threatened his business, so Unanue needed a new source of products.

Unanue purchased some Moroccan sardines, and he and Carolina found space in a Manhattan warehouse, where they repackaged the sardines for resale to stores. He reportedly paid the sardine supplier one dollar for the use of the name “Goya” and opened a storefront in Manhattan. Soon, they added other products in demand by Spanish immigrants, such as olives and olive oil. These products proved popular enough that the Unanues began processing and packaging their own unique products instead of distributing products made by others. Goya Foods opened its first factory in Brooklyn in 1958.

Following a surge in immigration from Latin America following the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, demand rose in the United States for Latin American food products, creating new business opportunities for Goya. In 1974, the company established its headquarters in Secaucus, New Jersey. To add to its focus on quality ingredients, the company bought a Spanish olive farm that same year.

Unanue died in 1976, leaving the approximately $10 million business to his four sons. The oldest son, Joseph A. Unanue, became the company’s chief operating officer (COO). Under his leadership, the company continued to expand until it produced hundreds of products, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. These products continued to focus on items familiar to people from Latin American cultures, adding beans, condiments, beverages, and frozen foods to the canned fish, olives, and olive oil from the original product line.

In the 1990s, Goya Foods increased its visibility through advertising. When facing marketing challenges such as competitors with lower prices, Goya has been known to run commercials showing both products dumped out side-by-side, so consumers can compare them. This enabled the company to take on food industry giants such as Campbell’s, which created but soon folded its own line of Latin American foods. The company also engaged in active market research. It monitored what customers in different areas were purchasing and the countries of origin of new immigrants. This allowed it to adjust its product lines to provide familiar products that customers could relate to and, therefore, purchase.

A family feud between Unanue’s sons and some of his nephews landed the future of the company in the hands of the courts in the early part of the twenty-first century. However, the company ultimately remained in the family. Robert Unanue, the founder’s grandson, became CEO in 2004. Since then, the company added manufacturing and distribution centers in multiple American states as well as in Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In 2015, the company moved into a new state-of-the-art corporate headquarters in New Jersey.

In early 2025, Goya Foods experienced leadership turmoil when longtime President and CEO Bob Unanue said he was left “in limbo” after a board vote on his employment status. The situation coincided with a lawsuit filed by his cousin, Francisco (“Frankie”) Unanue, alleging conduct harmful to the company, which board sources described as a governance matter rather than a political dispute.

Impact

By the 2020s, Goya Foods had given its owners a net worth exceeding $1 billion, making the Unanue family one of the wealthiest Hispanic families in the United States. The company itself became the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food company. Although it is focused on the needs of Hispanic and Latino customers, the company has grown to have recognition among non-Hispanic or Latino Americans as well.

Some industry experts also credit the company with helping to make the United States more welcoming to Latin American immigrants. Company sales representatives determine the homelands of immigrants in different areas and stock stores with the products that will seem most like home to them. They also advise store managers on which other non-Goya products, such as produce and cuts of meat, will be most appreciated by the local Latino population.

In 2000, Goya Foods became the first Hispanic or Latino company to be featured in a display at the Smithsonian Institution. The display recognized the Unanue family’s immigrant success story. It was featured in the museum during Hispanic Heritage Month in fall 2000.

Goya Foods has also engaged in numerous philanthropic efforts. The company website lists nearly three hundred local, regional, and national organizations that have received donations. Goya has donated millions of pounds of food to disaster relief efforts as well. In 2013, it took part in First Lady Michelle Obama’s “MyPlate” (MiPlato) program by promoting MiPlato to encourage healthy eating in Latino families. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Goya donated the equivalent of 170,000 meals in food and 20,000 masks to communities across America. After the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Goya sent food and disaster relief to the communities affected through its Goya Gives philanthropic global initiative.

The company has experienced several controversies over the years, in addition to the court fight for its ownership. In 2001, Goya made the news for a labor dispute involving alleged labor union activities. Goya said that the workers were creating a disturbance inside the company’s facility while in work uniforms. The company was fined for its anti-union practices.

In 2020, people discussed boycotting Goya Foods, especially on social media platforms. Robert Unanue offered praise to President Donald Trump after he signed an executive order to improve educational access for Latinos. This angered many Latinos, who objected to Trump’s immigration policies, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a boycott. This sparked an opposing effort from Trump supporters to buy Goya products. Goya sales reportedly spiked so high that the company jokingly named Ocasio-Cortez its employee of the month. However, renewed calls for a Goya Foods boycott took place in early 2021 after Unanue spoke at the meeting of the Conservative Political Action Council (CPAC) and again praised Trump despite Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud and alleged role in inciting the 2021 Capitol Riot. Despite the controversy, Unanue remained a fervent supporter of Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. In September 2024, Unanue published a book about his experiences with “cancel culture” and supporting Trump titled Blessed, Donald J. Trump, and the Spiritual War. In the mid-2020s, Goya continued to do well financially despite these controversies and expanded its operations to twenty-six facilities worldwide. Sales remained strong, and Goya continued to support myriad community initiatives in education, mental health, and abuse prevention. In 2024, Goya provided food and disaster relief to those affected by Hurricane Helene.

In 2026, Goya Foods celebrated its ninetieth anniversary with limited-edition packages, a dedicated website for the anniversary celebration, special merchandise, continued philanthropic initiatives, and special events.


Bibliography

Bailey, Kayla. “Goya Foods CEO Calls for Spiritual ‘Intervention’ in 2024: ‘We’re Going to Lose This Country.’” Fox Business, 16 June 2023, www.foxbusiness.com/politics/goya-foods-ceo-calls-spiritual-intervention-2024-going-lose-country. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Bustos, Laura Williams. “The Truth About Goya Foods.” Mashed, 6 Aug. 2020, www.mashed.com/228585/the-truth-about-goya-foods. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

DePillis, Lydia. “How Goya Brought Ethnic Food to White America.” The Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/08/23/how-goya-brought-ethnic-food-to-white-america. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Gerber, David A., and Alan M. Kraut. American Immigration and Ethnicity: A Reader. Palgrave Macmillan US, 2005.

Gerrard, Jeremy. “Goya Opens New Corporate Headquarters.” Food Engineering, 13 May 2015, www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/93920-goya-opens-new-corporate-headquarters. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Giacomazzo, Bernadette R. “The Story of Goya Foods: How a Latino-Owned Specialty Company Became a Main Street Monolith.” Latin Post, 7 Feb. 2014, www.latinpost.com/articles/7013/20140207/story-goya-foods-latino-owned-specialty-company-became-mainstream-monolith.htm. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Celebrates 90 Years as the Largest Hispanic-Owned Food Company and Iconic American Brand.” PR Newswire, 20 Jan. 2026, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-celebrates-90-years-as-the-largest-hispanic-owned-food-company-and-iconic-american-brand-302665118.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods CEO, Bob Unanue, Announces Next Chapter.” PR Newswire, 24 Feb. 2025, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-ceo-bob-unanue-announces-next-chapter-302383805.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods, Inc.” About Goya. Goya Foods, Inc., www.goya.com/en/about-goya/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Provides Food Assistance to Victims of Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.” PR Newswire, 30 Sept. 2024, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-provides-food-assistance-to-victims-of-hurricane-helene-in-florida-georgia-and-the-carolinas-302262548.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Sends Aid to the People of East Palestine and Surrounding Areas. You Are Not Forgotten.” PR Newswire, 20 Feb. 2023, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-sends-aid-to-the-people-of-east-palestine-and-surrounding-areas-you-are-not-forgotten-301750483.html. Accessed 19 Feb 2026.

“History – Our Company.” Goya Foods, www.goya.com/en/our-company/history. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Joseph A. Unanue, Former Chief Executive of Goya Foods, Dies at 88.” The New York Times, 16 June 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/business/joseph-a-unanue-former-chief-executive-of-goya-foods-dies-at-88.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

McDonald, Scott. “Goya Foods Faces Boycott Calls Months After First Attempt Ended in Failure.” Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2021, www.newsweek.com/goya-foods-faces-boycott-calls-months-after-first-attempt-ended-failure-1572697. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Ortiz, Patricia. “Goya Foods President and CEO Endorses Donald Trump.” Houston Public Media, 27 Sept. 2024, www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2024/2024/09/27/501242/goya-foods-president-and-ceo-announces-donald-trump-endorsement-for-president. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Radford-Wattley, Aaron. “How Much Is Goya Foods and CEO Robert Unanue Worth?” Fox Business, 15 July 2020, www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/how-much-is-goya-foods-and-ceo-robert-unanue-worth. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Salcedo, Andrea. “Goya’s CEO Falsely Claims Trump Is the ‘Real,’ ‘Legitimate’ President. Critics Call for a Boycott.” The Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/01/goya-ceo-cpac-trump-boycott. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Full Article

Company Information

  • Date founded: 1936
  • Industry: Food industry
  • Corporate headquarters: Secaucus, New Jersey
  • Type: Private

Overview

Goya Foods is a privately owned food production company specializing in products for Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Established in New York City in 1936 by Spanish immigrants, Goya moved to New Jersey in 1974 and became the largest Hispanic-owned food company in America. The company remained family-owned and built its business by providing authentic Latin American foods and ingredients that became popular with American consumers, including immigrants from Central and South America.

In the early 2000s, Goya Foods moved to expand its reach worldwide. This resulted in the establishment of more than two dozen facilities employing thousands in the United States (including Puerto Rico), the Dominican Republic, and Spain. In the early 2020s, the company became the subject of controversy and the object of attempted boycotts because of comments made by its president and chief executive officer (CEO) in support of President Donald Trump. Through its Goya Gives global initiative, the company often participates in philanthropy for populations in crisis.

History

Goya was started in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife, Carolina Casal. Unanue emigrated from Spain in 1906 when he was eighteen. He and Carolina, who had also emigrated from Spain, married in Puerto Rico in 1921 and later settled in New York City, where he became a broker for Spanish-imported foods. In 1936, the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) cut off supply lines and threatened his business, so Unanue needed a new source of products.

Unanue purchased some Moroccan sardines, and he and Carolina found space in a Manhattan warehouse, where they repackaged the sardines for resale to stores. He reportedly paid the sardine supplier one dollar for the use of the name “Goya” and opened a storefront in Manhattan. Soon, they added other products in demand by Spanish immigrants, such as olives and olive oil. These products proved popular enough that the Unanues began processing and packaging their own unique products instead of distributing products made by others. Goya Foods opened its first factory in Brooklyn in 1958.

Following a surge in immigration from Latin America following the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, demand rose in the United States for Latin American food products, creating new business opportunities for Goya. In 1974, the company established its headquarters in Secaucus, New Jersey. To add to its focus on quality ingredients, the company bought a Spanish olive farm that same year.

Unanue died in 1976, leaving the approximately $10 million business to his four sons. The oldest son, Joseph A. Unanue, became the company’s chief operating officer (COO). Under his leadership, the company continued to expand until it produced hundreds of products, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. These products continued to focus on items familiar to people from Latin American cultures, adding beans, condiments, beverages, and frozen foods to the canned fish, olives, and olive oil from the original product line.

In the 1990s, Goya Foods increased its visibility through advertising. When facing marketing challenges such as competitors with lower prices, Goya has been known to run commercials showing both products dumped out side-by-side, so consumers can compare them. This enabled the company to take on food industry giants such as Campbell’s, which created but soon folded its own line of Latin American foods. The company also engaged in active market research. It monitored what customers in different areas were purchasing and the countries of origin of new immigrants. This allowed it to adjust its product lines to provide familiar products that customers could relate to and, therefore, purchase.

A family feud between Unanue’s sons and some of his nephews landed the future of the company in the hands of the courts in the early part of the twenty-first century. However, the company ultimately remained in the family. Robert Unanue, the founder’s grandson, became CEO in 2004. Since then, the company added manufacturing and distribution centers in multiple American states as well as in Spain, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In 2015, the company moved into a new state-of-the-art corporate headquarters in New Jersey.

In early 2025, Goya Foods experienced leadership turmoil when longtime President and CEO Bob Unanue said he was left “in limbo” after a board vote on his employment status. The situation coincided with a lawsuit filed by his cousin, Francisco (“Frankie”) Unanue, alleging conduct harmful to the company, which board sources described as a governance matter rather than a political dispute.

Impact

By the 2020s, Goya Foods had given its owners a net worth exceeding $1 billion, making the Unanue family one of the wealthiest Hispanic families in the United States. The company itself became the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food company. Although it is focused on the needs of Hispanic and Latino customers, the company has grown to have recognition among non-Hispanic or Latino Americans as well.

Some industry experts also credit the company with helping to make the United States more welcoming to Latin American immigrants. Company sales representatives determine the homelands of immigrants in different areas and stock stores with the products that will seem most like home to them. They also advise store managers on which other non-Goya products, such as produce and cuts of meat, will be most appreciated by the local Latino population.

In 2000, Goya Foods became the first Hispanic or Latino company to be featured in a display at the Smithsonian Institution. The display recognized the Unanue family’s immigrant success story. It was featured in the museum during Hispanic Heritage Month in fall 2000.

Goya Foods has also engaged in numerous philanthropic efforts. The company website lists nearly three hundred local, regional, and national organizations that have received donations. Goya has donated millions of pounds of food to disaster relief efforts as well. In 2013, it took part in First Lady Michelle Obama’s “MyPlate” (MiPlato) program by promoting MiPlato to encourage healthy eating in Latino families. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Goya donated the equivalent of 170,000 meals in food and 20,000 masks to communities across America. After the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Goya sent food and disaster relief to the communities affected through its Goya Gives philanthropic global initiative.

The company has experienced several controversies over the years, in addition to the court fight for its ownership. In 2001, Goya made the news for a labor dispute involving alleged labor union activities. Goya said that the workers were creating a disturbance inside the company’s facility while in work uniforms. The company was fined for its anti-union practices.

In 2020, people discussed boycotting Goya Foods, especially on social media platforms. Robert Unanue offered praise to President Donald Trump after he signed an executive order to improve educational access for Latinos. This angered many Latinos, who objected to Trump’s immigration policies, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a boycott. This sparked an opposing effort from Trump supporters to buy Goya products. Goya sales reportedly spiked so high that the company jokingly named Ocasio-Cortez its employee of the month. However, renewed calls for a Goya Foods boycott took place in early 2021 after Unanue spoke at the meeting of the Conservative Political Action Council (CPAC) and again praised Trump despite Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud and alleged role in inciting the 2021 Capitol Riot. Despite the controversy, Unanue remained a fervent supporter of Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. In September 2024, Unanue published a book about his experiences with “cancel culture” and supporting Trump titled Blessed, Donald J. Trump, and the Spiritual War. In the mid-2020s, Goya continued to do well financially despite these controversies and expanded its operations to twenty-six facilities worldwide. Sales remained strong, and Goya continued to support myriad community initiatives in education, mental health, and abuse prevention. In 2024, Goya provided food and disaster relief to those affected by Hurricane Helene.

In 2026, Goya Foods celebrated its ninetieth anniversary with limited-edition packages, a dedicated website for the anniversary celebration, special merchandise, continued philanthropic initiatives, and special events.


Bibliography

Bailey, Kayla. “Goya Foods CEO Calls for Spiritual ‘Intervention’ in 2024: ‘We’re Going to Lose This Country.’” Fox Business, 16 June 2023, www.foxbusiness.com/politics/goya-foods-ceo-calls-spiritual-intervention-2024-going-lose-country. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Bustos, Laura Williams. “The Truth About Goya Foods.” Mashed, 6 Aug. 2020, www.mashed.com/228585/the-truth-about-goya-foods. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

DePillis, Lydia. “How Goya Brought Ethnic Food to White America.” The Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/08/23/how-goya-brought-ethnic-food-to-white-america. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Gerber, David A., and Alan M. Kraut. American Immigration and Ethnicity: A Reader. Palgrave Macmillan US, 2005.

Gerrard, Jeremy. “Goya Opens New Corporate Headquarters.” Food Engineering, 13 May 2015, www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/93920-goya-opens-new-corporate-headquarters. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Giacomazzo, Bernadette R. “The Story of Goya Foods: How a Latino-Owned Specialty Company Became a Main Street Monolith.” Latin Post, 7 Feb. 2014, www.latinpost.com/articles/7013/20140207/story-goya-foods-latino-owned-specialty-company-became-mainstream-monolith.htm. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Celebrates 90 Years as the Largest Hispanic-Owned Food Company and Iconic American Brand.” PR Newswire, 20 Jan. 2026, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-celebrates-90-years-as-the-largest-hispanic-owned-food-company-and-iconic-american-brand-302665118.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods CEO, Bob Unanue, Announces Next Chapter.” PR Newswire, 24 Feb. 2025, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-ceo-bob-unanue-announces-next-chapter-302383805.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods, Inc.” About Goya. Goya Foods, Inc., www.goya.com/en/about-goya/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Provides Food Assistance to Victims of Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.” PR Newswire, 30 Sept. 2024, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-provides-food-assistance-to-victims-of-hurricane-helene-in-florida-georgia-and-the-carolinas-302262548.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Goya Foods Sends Aid to the People of East Palestine and Surrounding Areas. You Are Not Forgotten.” PR Newswire, 20 Feb. 2023, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goya-foods-sends-aid-to-the-people-of-east-palestine-and-surrounding-areas-you-are-not-forgotten-301750483.html. Accessed 19 Feb 2026.

“History – Our Company.” Goya Foods, www.goya.com/en/our-company/history. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

“Joseph A. Unanue, Former Chief Executive of Goya Foods, Dies at 88.” The New York Times, 16 June 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/business/joseph-a-unanue-former-chief-executive-of-goya-foods-dies-at-88.html. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

McDonald, Scott. “Goya Foods Faces Boycott Calls Months After First Attempt Ended in Failure.” Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2021, www.newsweek.com/goya-foods-faces-boycott-calls-months-after-first-attempt-ended-failure-1572697. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Ortiz, Patricia. “Goya Foods President and CEO Endorses Donald Trump.” Houston Public Media, 27 Sept. 2024, www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2024/2024/09/27/501242/goya-foods-president-and-ceo-announces-donald-trump-endorsement-for-president. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Radford-Wattley, Aaron. “How Much Is Goya Foods and CEO Robert Unanue Worth?” Fox Business, 15 July 2020, www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/how-much-is-goya-foods-and-ceo-robert-unanue-worth. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Salcedo, Andrea. “Goya’s CEO Falsely Claims Trump Is the ‘Real,’ ‘Legitimate’ President. Critics Call for a Boycott.” The Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/01/goya-ceo-cpac-trump-boycott. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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