Goya Foods

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Goya is the name of a famous brand of foods sold in many Latin American countries and in the United States. While the product line remains heavily influenced by its origins in traditional Puerto Rican foods, Goya has branched out into the Mexican and South and Central American foods categories.

The brand's creator, Prudencio Unanue, moved from Spain to Puerto Rico, where he married Carolina Casal and they established themselves. They moved to New York and had four children.

Prudencio established a store-front in Lower Manhattan in 1936. What started as a small family business to distribute Spanish food such as olives, olive oil and sardines to the local Hispanic community evolved into a multinational, family-owned business. Under the leadership of Joseph A. Unanue, Goya president from 1976 to 2004 and son of Prudencio, Goya became the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.

Goya's main concern used to be in the production of rice and beans. With time this has grown into a selection of condiments, pantry items, beverages and frozen foods totaling 1,200 offerings under the Goya Foods label most of them outsourced from well known brands in the original country of production. Frequently, Goya products are grouped together in grocery stores, under the international aisles. Something particular to the marketing power of this company, is the fact that it is one of the few companies that do not pay allotment fees to the market as many other food distributors and vendors do.

Goya has built a reputation for high-quality products and continues to introduce the best of Caribbean, Mexican and Central & South American cuisine. Goya continues to provide millions of consumers across the United States with a significant range of Latino foods, now considered an essential part of today's kitchen, winning over both the Hispanic and non-Hispanic palette.

Goya operates a 220,000 square foot manufacturing facility in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. and a 300,000 square foot distribution center in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. These two new facilities coupled with plans for distribution in Spain and Mexico reinforces Goya's position as a global entity in the food and beverage industries.

Goya's 2,500 employees worldwide produce products that are available in local grocery stores and supermarket chains throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and international markets. Goya Foods is headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey. Its manufacturing and distribution centers are located in Secaucus and West Deptford, New Jersey; Bayamón, Puerto Rico; Seville, Spain; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Angola, New York; Webster, Massachusetts; Bensonville, Illinois; Miami and Orlando, Florida; Houston, Texas; the City of Industry, California; and Prince George County, Virginia.

For years, Goya has embraced its corporate and community responsibilities as a business leader and Hispanic institution by supporting both local and national organizations throughout the United States where Goya consumers and employees live and work.

Its national sponsorships include the National Council of La Raza, The National Puerto Rican Day Parade, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Goya is also the first Hispanic company to be exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

In 2006 Forbes ranked Goya 355th on its list of the largest Private companies in America.See Forbes largest Private companies