Goya Foods
Spain → USA
Agriculture, Food & Consumer Goods
Summary
Goya Foods was founded in 1936 by Spanish immigrant Prudencio Unanue and his wife Carolina Casal de Valdés. Beginning as a small import business in lower Manhattan, it grew into the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, distributing a wide range of products inspired by Spanish, Caribbean, and Latin American cuisine.
European Contribution
Mediterranean food traditions, Spanish import networks, and family-business distribution models.
American Impact
Expansion of ethnic food markets and mainstream integration of Hispanic cuisine.
Timeline Highlights
- 1921 Unanue family arrives in the United States via Puerto Rico
- 1936 Company founded in Manhattan
- 1950s–1970s Nationwide expansion
- Present Largest Hispanic-owned food company in the U.S.