Continuing a Family Legacy

“If it's Goya, it has to be good.” That’s the motto of Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States with over $2 billions in sales. Tie in a VSB graduate to Goya’s history, and it must be really good.

Grandson of Spanish immigrant and Goya Foods founder Prudencio Unanue, Carlos A. Unanue graduated from Villanova University in 1986 and immediately began his career working for Goya as a Purchasing Manager in Florida. Unanue specialized in purchasing, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution as he rose through the leadership ranks. In just 10 years, he was named Vice President and General Manager of Goya de Puerto Rico and by 2003, he became President of Goya de Puerto Rico, where he still sits today.

Unanue is the third generation of his family leading Goya to success and is proud to carry on its legacy “that is synonymous with excellence in every product, every employee, and every initiative that benefits the communities and people [they] serve.”

For over 85 years, Goya Foods has been a proud supporter of nearly 300 charitable endeavors, programs, scholarships, and events that promote culture and benefit overall community wellness. Goya has also taken the lead in numerous disaster relief efforts, providing food donations in times of crisis, and consistently working with local food banks, charities, and non-profits to assist those less fortunate.

Unanue says that “having the opportunity to make positive contributions to society on an ongoing basis and make a difference, within and outside the company, is a source of enormous and profound satisfaction.”

Carlos Unanue credits the Villanova School of Business for “the wealth of knowledge and experiences that have shaped the solidity of [his] professional life.” He asserts, “Villanova University and the Order of St. Augustine were that last academic rung that gave me all the useful and necessary tools to achieve success.”