Bob Unanue, CEO de Goya Foods, poniéndole ingredientes y sabor Latino al “Sueño Americano”
Desde 1936, la marca de productos Goya ha hecho parte de los hogares Latinos en los Estados Unidos; hoy día Goya es sinónimo de cocina, cultura, familia y tradición.
La misión de llevar autenticidad y sabor a la cocina hispana además de seguir apoyando y empoderando a la comunidad Latina en Estados Unidos sigue firme de la mano de Bob Unanue, actual CEO de la empresa y tercera generación de la familia de sus fundadores.
En este episodio, Bob nos cuenta la historia de Goya, como han luchado para mantenerse como unas de las empresas de comida latina más grandes y reconocidas en Estados Unidos, como se han mantenido conectados a los corazones y al paladar de las familias latinas, además de cómo la crisis COVID-19 ha reafirmado el compromiso de apoyar a la comunidad hispana durante los momentos de grandes retos e incertidumbre.
Bob Unanue, Goya Foods CEO, adding Latin ingredients and flavor to the “American Dream”
Since 1936, Goya Foods has been part of latin households in the United States; today, Goya Foods is synonymous with latin cuisine, culture, family and community.
Goya’s mission to bring authenticity and flavor to the latin kitchen and of supporting and empowering latino communities in the United States, remains firm under the leadership of its current CEO and 3rd generation founder, Bob Unanue.
In this episode, Bob shares the history of Goya, how they have broken barriers to remain as one of the largest and most recognizable food companies in the United States, how they have stayed closely connected with the hearts and taste buds of Hisapnic families and how the COVID-19 crisis has reaffirmed the company’s mission to support Hispanic families during the most trying and uncertain times.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is Ala, my name is Pi and Driquezato's podcast
Okay mean Bito and the other way s l ceomentos
and los Estsnos says to port Familia como la lisaso
(00:39):
Americano to Orlando the Ola, my name is Bob n
Bob is so good to see you. I will always coincide,
you know, in New York, specifically with with my extro
cares Um Great organization founded, the Great Foundation founded by
(01:01):
our our friends Mark Anthony and and Henri Cadenas going
to do great work and orphanages in Central South America
and Dominican Republic. And it's great that that Goya has
always involved there. We'll get into that in a little bit.
But thank you for for joining us. We're joined of
the virtually because of the COVID crisis. Thank you. Agains
a honor to be on your program and wish to
(01:23):
all the success in the world. Thank you talking about
We're gonna talk a lot about success because Goya is
very successful and it goes hand in hand. And I
think Goya and success they go they kind of mean
the same. But it it hasn't been easy for your
family following family tradition as well. No pressure for you
(01:43):
heading the family business. No, no, you know it's we
still have it. Uh. We still treated like a small
family business, very familiar, very family oriented. You know. We
started ninety six. Grandfather did Wayne Street in Manhattan as
a Spanish immigrant. He left Spain in eighteen years old,
(02:03):
a young guy looking for to make a living, as
many Spaniards and Italians did at the turn of the century.
In four and he took a steamship from Spain to
to Puerto Rico. Others went to South America, Cuba and
and looking for new ways of ways to make a living.
(02:24):
So he landed in uh, Puerto Rico, was there for years,
met my grandmother and San Lorenzo, and then migrated to
New York. Studied there and started uh importing products from Spain.
In six the Spanish Civil War breaks out and so
(02:44):
products from Spain where he was importing, uh, those products
from Spain dried up. So somebody offered him some sardines
from Morocco, five cases of sardines with the Goya brand
on it. He says, hey, I like this because it's
it's got a tie to to Spain. With Francisco Boya
(03:04):
at ptor and Uh, so he bought it in he
sold the cases, and he liked the name. He had
the vision of being of marketing, of the importance of
a name, of a reputation and quality, and he came
up with the slogan of miscoria. It has to be good.
So he started putting that. He told the broker that
(03:25):
sold them those that product, said, Hey, I wanna I
like this name. Let's let me uh buy it. He says,
it's yours. Let's make it official. So he bought it
for one dollar. And that's the story there. But as
immigrants started coming into this country in the United States
is the second largest Latin country in the world, with
about seventy million of US and more less than Mexico,
(03:48):
more than Spain in Colombia around fifty million in Spain
and Colombia one million in Mexico. So the next big
group that started coming into the country after World War
two was the Puerto Rican community in fifty nine. The
Cuban community the seventies bore a lot of Dominicans, etcetera.
(04:10):
Of course, Mexicans were here uh in the year two thousand,
only twenty years ago, UH, there were about thirty five
million Latinos in this country. Since then out of Central
America South America, we are now double that population at
seventy millions. So as time goes on, what we've done is,
(04:31):
uh followed those communities with all the rich and incredible
cuisines of all these countries and every ethnicity, the Peruvians
bringing in their their products, Venezuelans and all of which,
as I said, cuisines of of the very diverse UH
(04:52):
culture of Latinos around the world. So what we've done
is followed that, tried to be authentic and tried to
have the best quality. And and also we have a
large commitment to serve our community, to to give back,
be involved because when you immigrate, you are if you're Colombian,
(05:14):
you're more Colombian in the United States than you are
in Maine or wherever pie or do this because you
see things that that are authentic and remind you of home.
So you you tie into that and and that it's
an emotional tie. And so we've always involved ourselves in
(05:36):
the community at all levels, with all different communities. Like
you said, with Mark Anthony and Henry Cardinals, Uh, you know,
we've been involved in to Luca Mexico and Baraquilla, Columbia
where Henry is from. And uh so, but we've always
tried to be involved in in the in the community.
(05:58):
We've also in times of stress, we've also said presente UH.
In the Castle de Puerto Rico with Maria and I hurricanes,
we were the only food on the island. FEMA could
not get in UH. As soon as we got ourselves
up and running, we were giving out to all the
(06:18):
people who were needed to food. And we worked with
Jose Andres who did a lot of cooking. He used
our food. I don't think he could have cooked without
our food. But you know he's done well. He's won
noble prizes for his UH efforts to feed the world.
And we were very excited to be a part of
all these initiatives as as much as we can. Bob,
(06:41):
where does that sense of responsibility come from to help
out in during the hurricanes and the earthquakes when when
people are most in need, well as immigrants ourselves, UH,
you know, you're UH part of a community that you
look to support from each other and so UH. You know,
(07:02):
from a small community at the turn of nine in
the nine hundreds to now the Latino country in the world,
the second largest in in the year UH. You know,
we look to each other and that same sense of
community and social responsibility is very alive, much more than
(07:25):
UH than the general market, but the general population. But
you know, you all, you've had the same things with
with the Irish, with the Italians, that the the there's
a lot of Indian UH that consume our products. But
all these communities tend to stick together and support each other,
(07:47):
and you see that. You know, of course the United
States you're listening to all my name is past, this
(08:13):
is Allah, my name is He and Vicus and those podcasts.
Going back to your support of the master Cares Foundation
that helps orphan the children in Central South America and
the Caribbean. This is what Elena Mayo had to say
about you, Babe. Has been one of our real heroes
at the master Cares Foundation. Has never missed the meeting,
(08:36):
never missed a gala, has been one of our biggest supporters,
and we have appreciated him with all our heart. What
he does for Master Cares Foundation, away from the donation
of food, um, giving his heart to the kids, caring
about the kids is truly amazing. It must feel good
to be able to feed such needy kids. You know, uh,
letter mentioned heroes. I'm so proud of the heroes of
(08:59):
our company, the you know right right now working through
this crisis and providing food. But also with Mietro Cares. Uh,
we have a group of employees who became mentors to
the children in the Dominican Republic and in other places,
giving of their time and actually traveling to these places.
And you go and see these children and and you
(09:22):
get the hugs, and they don't want to let go.
It's really a beautiful thing. And and really the heroes
are you know, the great what we call the boy
of family, all of our incredible employees and family members
here that again are working through this crisis and they
want to They really want to be here and to
(09:45):
serve others. Uh. You know, if we were to stop
completely uh this, you know, there wouldn't be food to
pats around in this country. And I think you've got
to be afraid enough to be careful, but not so
afraid that you become paralyzed. And does that make you
nervous when you take in that information and it's like
it's it's it's a it's it's a big weight on
(10:06):
your shoulders. Now yeah, I mean again, you have to
be uh afraid enough that you are careful. And we
that's what we've been doing. We've taken all the measures
to be careful here. And it's all the things temperatures,
distancing maths which I don't have on right now, but
so we can talk, but taking all those measures to
(10:28):
protect our family. And but there's risk and you have
to These people are taking these risks because they want
to serve the community and just tremendous kudos and to me,
they're they're my heroes. Working day to day too, you know,
put food on the table and and uh and it's
(10:50):
also the first responders and nurses, the doctors, all these
people that are working. I have a daughter who's a nurse,
and you know, I don't think it's not a job.
It's a calling. When you have these people that are
put their heart into it and their dedication and they
they're putting their life that risks to help, whether that's
(11:11):
it's really a calling and I think to some extent
are are The Goya family is doing that around the country,
around the world. Please tell give your daughter my thanks
and on behalf of all my listeners and all of
us here at I heeart at the you know, to
all your employees, grass for everything you guys do. So
I'm curious, how does Bob's day, uh first thirty minutes
(11:33):
of the day start. Do they start with like with
like some goa or papusa? You know, I'm not a
big breakfast person, but you know, I lived in Spains
for some time and we have facilities over there, and
they were also working to that they got hit hard
over there, but uh, you know, and there the diet
(11:54):
is completely different. Where you're eating lunch at two and
and uh, if you go out to eat at nine o'clock,
there's nobody in the restaurant. Uh, but you know, and
then you're eating. You know, I think Spain got hit
hard because everybody's in the street and they're together, and
(12:14):
we're hugging and kissing twice on one on these cheeks
and uh, but we're there in the street and living
and and that's part of the thing that worries me
the most is that our way of life might change
and is so ingrained in the culture, the Spanish culture,
the the Latino culture, which we're much warmer than uh
(12:38):
maybe other cultures. Uh you know, the Japanese have been
distancing from day one and they have not been hit
as hard as we have, because the Italians too. It's
it's uh all the warmth and the closeness and so
this has been a big shock to uh, changed to
(12:59):
our lives, I believe. And what's what's happening? So the
two cheek kiss has been canceled hopefully it's just temporarily. Yes,
what did you want to do when you were a
kid growing up? You know? Uh? I worked with my dad.
My dad passed away young, he was in the nineteen
seventy six and my mom later, but I went to
(13:20):
work with him when I was ten years old. I
worked a production line. We were packing olives in olive
oil in in uh Brooklyn on twelfth Street near the
Guanas Canal. And uh, you know, ever since then, the smells,
the the working with these people that bring back all
(13:40):
these memories have been a part of my life and
and ever since then, I really wanted to be a
part of this uh this great company again. Just the
wonderful people and and uh so just from a as
a little kid working side by side and uh gals
and guys on the line. They would give me some
(14:02):
cafe com and to me it said, wow, this is good.
So I've been also drinking coffee since I'm about ten
years old, so it might be. But it's just a
great experience doing that and working with people from you know,
at all levels. Talking about people, Bob, I'm curious who
(14:23):
inspires you. Well, my dad has instilled a lot of
faith in me and and uh and and Jesus Christ
as my uh. You know, I have a book. I
had a book as a kid that my mother had
given me by Thomas kempis the Imitation of Christ, and
uh I lost it during the years. And the other
day gal uh gifted me this thing and I opened
(14:47):
it up and it's uh, it's the imitation of Christ.
So uh, you know, my father always said he you know,
what do you want to do in life? Well, I
want to do this, so that he says, what's your
goal in life? Well, my goal is to do this
or that. But to know your goal is salvation. So
that's that's what is my goal. And and uh gives everything,
(15:09):
you know, the most meaning for me. You were thought
about writing a book yourself. Such a beautiful family, story.
You know, we did a book on the history seventy
fifth anniversary, but not really. I've not big on on reading.
I've just been you know, you know, hand city, uh,
(15:30):
hands on and working and traveling. I like, I like
to travel. I'd like to be with people. You asked
before how my day starts. But I always try to
go through wherever I'm at, uh and talk to people,
both through the building or whatever, and talk to people
and uh and uh, you know, I can't be an
(15:53):
undercover boss because you know, everybody who knows me and
I know them, and they do a good job with
to make better the wigs and the hats and stuff.
You know, they get this guy's are pretty good. That's true.
That's true. But you know, I'm not gonna find out
anything with a wig on that I wouldn't know otherwise
because people, you know, you share things and you share
(16:16):
uh joys and you share tragedies. So uh, you know
you're gonna there's no secrets and people will open up
and you have to be accessible. You know, if you're
not accessible, then you get you know, the lawyers in
between you get you get you know, we have unions
(16:37):
in a couple of places historically, but mainly no, because
we're accessible to everybody. My door is open at all times,
and and uh anybody, Uh, of course, you know, we're all.
There's another thing my father said, never look up at
anyone or down in anyone straight because uh, you know,
we're all and and so that's you know, how we
(17:01):
try to Uh. I like that, and I and I
you know, I always I explained that that. That has
always put a lot of perspective to me as well.
In all my broadcasts and anything that I do. Nobody
likes a smartass or I know it all. People like
to be talked to at their level. So my audience
as well, I never try to speak you know, above them,
or you know, down to them or up at them.
It's always at their level. And I think people really truly,
(17:23):
you know, appreciate that you mentioned a little while ago,
joy and tragedies. And I'm curious, is there any specific
moment that was so good, so important to you that
you would like to rewind, you would like to replay
and relive? You know, there are you know, the birth
of my first child. I have six children. Uh, you know, marriage,
(17:44):
you know, uh, growing up with my brothers and sisters
working at a gorya. Uh. They were all, uh, nothing
really stands out. It's all it's all great, it's all
good and uh so, and I'm not too good thinking
on my feet. I really nothing really jumps out at me.
(18:07):
But there are so many joys in my life, so
many blessings. I would say any anything that you would say,
you know, I'd rather not have that was a bad
day for me, or a bad moment that you would
delete in your life. Uh. You know, we always uh
make mistakes, But I've got nothing really jumps out at me.
(18:28):
You know, the tragedy, you know, losing a parent or
a loved one, but you know they luckily, you know
they've left in us. Uh. You don't have to say that.
When when my father passed away, I was twenty one,
but many people lose their loved ones sooner or later.
(18:50):
But it was a big blow to me. But at
the burial, I felt all of a sudden this peace
come over me, and I knew that my father was
uh with me, and he said, you know, basically, don't
worry about it. So uh that was such a great moment, Uh,
(19:10):
in the midst of tragedy to feel this uh, tremendous
peace and almost joy. Uh that hey it's all It's
gonna be good and and uh and you you've got
it and just keep you know, keep going the way
we we taught you and raised you. You're listening to
old On My Name Is podcast, Welcome back to Olah
(20:08):
My Name is the Abrigue Santo's podcast as the big
boss at Goya Right now, what are you most proud of?
You know, myself and my my cousin's and brothers. I
think you can interviewed Frankie last week or uh, you know,
there's things. People are so proud here of the success
(20:29):
that we've had as a company. And of course it's
it's a conglomerate of all these great people working together
and and becoming a significant uh not just brand, but
iconic name, uh, synonymous with the Latino market. And I
think that success has been really a sense of pride
(20:52):
for for all of us. And and you know, uh
we say here we believe Goya Blue. But people are
so proud of being part of this family, and that's
why we continue to try and make it a a family.
And and uh, you know we love each other. We
we uh we hug each other, whether it's two or once.
(21:14):
But but unfortunately we have to be distant at this time.
But we we we all. It's a great family environment.
I've been told your office there in Texas is filled
the family photos and pictures of you with with presidents,
with popes. Yeah, you know, I've had the opportunity to
(21:36):
meet uh a lot of great people. Uh uh not
as many as yourself. And and but I well I'm
adding to my list, uh meeting Andreque. I think so
you know it's um, but like you said, you know
you have to um, don't look up, don't look out
(22:00):
a lot of times you look up at people are
sports figures or whatever, and then you're disappointed later. But
we're all created by God, equal and been many blessings.
But of all the people of other people you've met,
who has really surprised you that impacted you? May be
surprised you in the sense I didn't know this person
was like this or was like that, or I did
(22:21):
actually introduce President Obama at one point, uh met Trump.
Uh I'm an equal opportunity offender. But uh they you know, uh,
no real surprises. What is the main product that that
Goya is selling? Right? Now throughout the pandemic that that's
really taken off. All your products are doing well. But
(22:43):
what's the most sold product. Well, the most sold as
a group are beans and beans, Uh, protein, fiber, antioxidants,
fier nutrients. You combine it with rice, you get a
complete protein. So we're selling uh maybe a quarter of
our businesses and beans and rice is a big, big
(23:04):
guide them also. But what we've been doing in these categories,
which are healthy to begin with, we're focusing on nutrition, organics,
low sodium and and things like that. So uh, you know,
beans are healthy to begin with, their their vegetarian, their vegan,
their protein, and you know, interestingly enough, and I think
(23:26):
it's it's actually a problem going forward. You know, I've
articles in the last couple of days about they're being
as this pandemic exits for the time being. Now there's
a problem with with food. Uh, and you're gonna see more.
Uh they say to biblical times. Of course, you can
(23:47):
get exaggerate and uh, but there's been a lot of
hoarding and you know, uh, there's such a delicate balance
of people on the earth and amount of food that
we can produce use, and of course a lot of
the food availability is skewed too. Uh some areas of
(24:09):
the world where and and of course as many people
who who go hungry at night, millions and millions of people.
So it's it's an issue going forward. Uh So as
as meat processing facilities closed in this country, I think
the proteins are beans can be a great protein, and
(24:30):
I think that's why we're also getting a lot of
demand is you know, uh, protein substitutes for pork and
and and beef and all these chicken and all these
places that are closing down. Um. So it's we continue
to what you know, when we started this, we had
very comfortable inventories. We we started distributing very heavily, producing
(24:55):
very heavily. And when we were looking at buying, which
I've I've done over the years, lining the raw materials,
which many of them come from the United States, we
haven't saying that we're as Latinos were united by language,
were separated by the beans. So if you're gonna eat
a carga manto from Colombia or Carrota Negra, they Venezuela
(25:20):
or Cuba, um uh in Central America. Um. You know. So,
but at the beginning of this process, we had plenty
of inventory and carry over, and now we're seeing that
we might not make it to the end of the season.
The US season is September uh to August, and uh
(25:45):
you know some products had in Mexico or other March
or the out of South America, there are other dates.
But the availability of beans has been uh so incredibly
high that of the the the consumption has been so
high that now we're looking at possible uh scarcity in
(26:08):
warm materials. So there there is it's it's such a
true fear that that that would there would be a
lack possibly in fulfilling these needs, specifically when it comes
to beans. Yeah, things like that, but in this country
maybe not. But then then you're going to see products
in countries where those types of commodities rice and we
(26:30):
are going to be scarce around the world. So uh,
this could be the next pandemic. Bob, you have no
idea how much I've enjoyed my conversation here with you.
I'd like talking to you for for a couple more days.
I always have. I asked my guests to leave a
question for my following guests, not knowing who that guest
is going to be. My last guest happened to be
(26:51):
and you know him, and you're pretty sure you know
his music. They're played around in king Sanas and in
birthday parties and in weddings around the world. Serve right
next to the Goya beans. Of course, he's Elvirepo. And
he leaves this question for you, approximate metalentric to USD
(27:13):
S d S. Maybe whoa can daddy us and D
S d S. If you go to the talctor and
doctor says you've got ten days left, what would you
do with these ten days? Leave it to Elvis to
go very deep there. I probably try to get my
affairs in order and and uh you know, try to
(27:36):
be with my family as much as I could, and
uh so that uh, you know the work. Hopefully I've
done the job along the way and not much to
do except to be around my loved ones and and
spend that time with them. And what question would Bob
and nonway leave to my next guest without knowing who
that person is going to be? Right right? That's that's
(27:58):
a good question. Have fun with it. You can make
get a great question too. You know what would they do? Two? Uh,
improve the world to keep us more united? Uh two,
avoid all the division today we're we've divided into camps
(28:21):
and we're so critical of each other there if you're
on one side of the fence or the other, depending
what what the what what the issue is. But I
see in my lifetime on sixty six that we've grown
more diametrically opposed. So how do you would you change that?
(28:43):
How would you improve the world so that we're more
united and we're not so divided as we've become. Bob,
thank you so much for your time. Keep healthy. Looking
forward to seeing you in person hopefully soon. Thank you,
Good God, bless you my friend. Thank you, thank you.
This is awesome. Bob thinks, thank you so much. Thank
(29:05):
you man. You're you're You're awesome. Goya CEO Babunway c
e O Babu Nonway
This is Ala, my name is Pi and Driquezato's podcast
Okay mean Bito and the other way s l ceomentos
and los Estsnos says to port Familia como la lisaso
(00:39):
Americano to Orlando the Ola, my name is Bob n
Bob is so good to see you. I will always coincide,
you know, in New York, specifically with with my extro
cares Um Great organization founded, the Great Foundation founded by
(01:01):
our our friends Mark Anthony and and Henri Cadenas going
to do great work and orphanages in Central South America
and Dominican Republic. And it's great that that Goya has
always involved there. We'll get into that in a little bit.
But thank you for for joining us. We're joined of
the virtually because of the COVID crisis. Thank you. Agains
a honor to be on your program and wish to
(01:23):
all the success in the world. Thank you talking about
We're gonna talk a lot about success because Goya is
very successful and it goes hand in hand. And I
think Goya and success they go they kind of mean
the same. But it it hasn't been easy for your
family following family tradition as well. No pressure for you
(01:43):
heading the family business. No, no, you know it's we
still have it. Uh. We still treated like a small
family business, very familiar, very family oriented. You know. We
started ninety six. Grandfather did Wayne Street in Manhattan as
a Spanish immigrant. He left Spain in eighteen years old,
(02:03):
a young guy looking for to make a living, as
many Spaniards and Italians did at the turn of the century.
In four and he took a steamship from Spain to
to Puerto Rico. Others went to South America, Cuba and
and looking for new ways of ways to make a living.
(02:24):
So he landed in uh, Puerto Rico, was there for years,
met my grandmother and San Lorenzo, and then migrated to
New York. Studied there and started uh importing products from Spain.
In six the Spanish Civil War breaks out and so
(02:44):
products from Spain where he was importing, uh, those products
from Spain dried up. So somebody offered him some sardines
from Morocco, five cases of sardines with the Goya brand
on it. He says, hey, I like this because it's
it's got a tie to to Spain. With Francisco Boya
(03:04):
at ptor and Uh, so he bought it in he
sold the cases, and he liked the name. He had
the vision of being of marketing, of the importance of
a name, of a reputation and quality, and he came
up with the slogan of miscoria. It has to be good.
So he started putting that. He told the broker that
(03:25):
sold them those that product, said, Hey, I wanna I
like this name. Let's let me uh buy it. He says,
it's yours. Let's make it official. So he bought it
for one dollar. And that's the story there. But as
immigrants started coming into this country in the United States
is the second largest Latin country in the world, with
about seventy million of US and more less than Mexico,
(03:48):
more than Spain in Colombia around fifty million in Spain
and Colombia one million in Mexico. So the next big
group that started coming into the country after World War
two was the Puerto Rican community in fifty nine. The
Cuban community the seventies bore a lot of Dominicans, etcetera.
(04:10):
Of course, Mexicans were here uh in the year two thousand,
only twenty years ago, UH, there were about thirty five
million Latinos in this country. Since then out of Central
America South America, we are now double that population at
seventy millions. So as time goes on, what we've done is,
(04:31):
uh followed those communities with all the rich and incredible
cuisines of all these countries and every ethnicity, the Peruvians
bringing in their their products, Venezuelans and all of which,
as I said, cuisines of of the very diverse UH
(04:52):
culture of Latinos around the world. So what we've done
is followed that, tried to be authentic and tried to
have the best quality. And and also we have a
large commitment to serve our community, to to give back,
be involved because when you immigrate, you are if you're Colombian,
(05:14):
you're more Colombian in the United States than you are
in Maine or wherever pie or do this because you
see things that that are authentic and remind you of home.
So you you tie into that and and that it's
an emotional tie. And so we've always involved ourselves in
(05:36):
the community at all levels, with all different communities. Like
you said, with Mark Anthony and Henry Cardinals, Uh, you know,
we've been involved in to Luca Mexico and Baraquilla, Columbia
where Henry is from. And uh so, but we've always
tried to be involved in in the in the community.
(05:58):
We've also in times of stress, we've also said presente UH.
In the Castle de Puerto Rico with Maria and I hurricanes,
we were the only food on the island. FEMA could
not get in UH. As soon as we got ourselves
up and running, we were giving out to all the
(06:18):
people who were needed to food. And we worked with
Jose Andres who did a lot of cooking. He used
our food. I don't think he could have cooked without
our food. But you know he's done well. He's won
noble prizes for his UH efforts to feed the world.
And we were very excited to be a part of
all these initiatives as as much as we can. Bob,
(06:41):
where does that sense of responsibility come from to help
out in during the hurricanes and the earthquakes when when
people are most in need, well as immigrants ourselves, UH,
you know, you're UH part of a community that you
look to support from each other and so UH. You know,
(07:02):
from a small community at the turn of nine in
the nine hundreds to now the Latino country in the world,
the second largest in in the year UH. You know,
we look to each other and that same sense of
community and social responsibility is very alive, much more than
(07:25):
UH than the general market, but the general population. But
you know, you all, you've had the same things with
with the Irish, with the Italians, that the the there's
a lot of Indian UH that consume our products. But
all these communities tend to stick together and support each other,
(07:47):
and you see that. You know, of course the United
States you're listening to all my name is past, this
(08:13):
is Allah, my name is He and Vicus and those podcasts.
Going back to your support of the master Cares Foundation
that helps orphan the children in Central South America and
the Caribbean. This is what Elena Mayo had to say
about you, Babe. Has been one of our real heroes
at the master Cares Foundation. Has never missed the meeting,
(08:36):
never missed a gala, has been one of our biggest supporters,
and we have appreciated him with all our heart. What
he does for Master Cares Foundation, away from the donation
of food, um, giving his heart to the kids, caring
about the kids is truly amazing. It must feel good
to be able to feed such needy kids. You know, uh,
letter mentioned heroes. I'm so proud of the heroes of
(08:59):
our company, the you know right right now working through
this crisis and providing food. But also with Mietro Cares. Uh,
we have a group of employees who became mentors to
the children in the Dominican Republic and in other places,
giving of their time and actually traveling to these places.
And you go and see these children and and you
(09:22):
get the hugs, and they don't want to let go.
It's really a beautiful thing. And and really the heroes
are you know, the great what we call the boy
of family, all of our incredible employees and family members
here that again are working through this crisis and they
want to They really want to be here and to
(09:45):
serve others. Uh. You know, if we were to stop
completely uh this, you know, there wouldn't be food to
pats around in this country. And I think you've got
to be afraid enough to be careful, but not so
afraid that you become paralyzed. And does that make you
nervous when you take in that information and it's like
it's it's it's a it's it's a big weight on
(10:06):
your shoulders. Now yeah, I mean again, you have to
be uh afraid enough that you are careful. And we
that's what we've been doing. We've taken all the measures
to be careful here. And it's all the things temperatures,
distancing maths which I don't have on right now, but
so we can talk, but taking all those measures to
(10:28):
protect our family. And but there's risk and you have
to These people are taking these risks because they want
to serve the community and just tremendous kudos and to me,
they're they're my heroes. Working day to day too, you know,
put food on the table and and uh and it's
(10:50):
also the first responders and nurses, the doctors, all these
people that are working. I have a daughter who's a nurse,
and you know, I don't think it's not a job.
It's a calling. When you have these people that are
put their heart into it and their dedication and they
they're putting their life that risks to help, whether that's
(11:11):
it's really a calling and I think to some extent
are are The Goya family is doing that around the country,
around the world. Please tell give your daughter my thanks
and on behalf of all my listeners and all of
us here at I heeart at the you know, to
all your employees, grass for everything you guys do. So
I'm curious, how does Bob's day, uh first thirty minutes
(11:33):
of the day start. Do they start with like with
like some goa or papusa? You know, I'm not a
big breakfast person, but you know, I lived in Spains
for some time and we have facilities over there, and
they were also working to that they got hit hard
over there, but uh, you know, and there the diet
(11:54):
is completely different. Where you're eating lunch at two and
and uh, if you go out to eat at nine o'clock,
there's nobody in the restaurant. Uh, but you know, and
then you're eating. You know, I think Spain got hit
hard because everybody's in the street and they're together, and
(12:14):
we're hugging and kissing twice on one on these cheeks
and uh, but we're there in the street and living
and and that's part of the thing that worries me
the most is that our way of life might change
and is so ingrained in the culture, the Spanish culture,
the the Latino culture, which we're much warmer than uh
(12:38):
maybe other cultures. Uh you know, the Japanese have been
distancing from day one and they have not been hit
as hard as we have, because the Italians too. It's
it's uh all the warmth and the closeness and so
this has been a big shock to uh, changed to
(12:59):
our lives, I believe. And what's what's happening? So the
two cheek kiss has been canceled hopefully it's just temporarily. Yes,
what did you want to do when you were a
kid growing up? You know? Uh? I worked with my dad.
My dad passed away young, he was in the nineteen
seventy six and my mom later, but I went to
(13:20):
work with him when I was ten years old. I
worked a production line. We were packing olives in olive
oil in in uh Brooklyn on twelfth Street near the
Guanas Canal. And uh, you know, ever since then, the smells,
the the working with these people that bring back all
(13:40):
these memories have been a part of my life and
and ever since then, I really wanted to be a
part of this uh this great company again. Just the
wonderful people and and uh so just from a as
a little kid working side by side and uh gals
and guys on the line. They would give me some
(14:02):
cafe com and to me it said, wow, this is good.
So I've been also drinking coffee since I'm about ten
years old, so it might be. But it's just a
great experience doing that and working with people from you know,
at all levels. Talking about people, Bob, I'm curious who
(14:23):
inspires you. Well, my dad has instilled a lot of
faith in me and and uh and and Jesus Christ
as my uh. You know, I have a book. I
had a book as a kid that my mother had
given me by Thomas kempis the Imitation of Christ, and
uh I lost it during the years. And the other
day gal uh gifted me this thing and I opened
(14:47):
it up and it's uh, it's the imitation of Christ.
So uh, you know, my father always said he you know,
what do you want to do in life? Well, I
want to do this, so that he says, what's your
goal in life? Well, my goal is to do this
or that. But to know your goal is salvation. So
that's that's what is my goal. And and uh gives everything,
(15:09):
you know, the most meaning for me. You were thought
about writing a book yourself. Such a beautiful family, story.
You know, we did a book on the history seventy
fifth anniversary, but not really. I've not big on on reading.
I've just been you know, you know, hand city, uh,
(15:30):
hands on and working and traveling. I like, I like
to travel. I'd like to be with people. You asked
before how my day starts. But I always try to
go through wherever I'm at, uh and talk to people,
both through the building or whatever, and talk to people
and uh and uh, you know, I can't be an
(15:53):
undercover boss because you know, everybody who knows me and
I know them, and they do a good job with
to make better the wigs and the hats and stuff.
You know, they get this guy's are pretty good. That's true.
That's true. But you know, I'm not gonna find out
anything with a wig on that I wouldn't know otherwise
because people, you know, you share things and you share
(16:16):
uh joys and you share tragedies. So uh, you know
you're gonna there's no secrets and people will open up
and you have to be accessible. You know, if you're
not accessible, then you get you know, the lawyers in
between you get you get you know, we have unions
(16:37):
in a couple of places historically, but mainly no, because
we're accessible to everybody. My door is open at all times,
and and uh anybody, Uh, of course, you know, we're all.
There's another thing my father said, never look up at
anyone or down in anyone straight because uh, you know,
we're all and and so that's you know, how we
(17:01):
try to Uh. I like that, and I and I
you know, I always I explained that that. That has
always put a lot of perspective to me as well.
In all my broadcasts and anything that I do. Nobody
likes a smartass or I know it all. People like
to be talked to at their level. So my audience
as well, I never try to speak you know, above them,
or you know, down to them or up at them.
It's always at their level. And I think people really truly,
(17:23):
you know, appreciate that you mentioned a little while ago,
joy and tragedies. And I'm curious, is there any specific
moment that was so good, so important to you that
you would like to rewind, you would like to replay
and relive? You know, there are you know, the birth
of my first child. I have six children. Uh, you know, marriage,
(17:44):
you know, uh, growing up with my brothers and sisters
working at a gorya. Uh. They were all, uh, nothing
really stands out. It's all it's all great, it's all
good and uh so, and I'm not too good thinking
on my feet. I really nothing really jumps out at me.
(18:07):
But there are so many joys in my life, so
many blessings. I would say any anything that you would say,
you know, I'd rather not have that was a bad
day for me, or a bad moment that you would
delete in your life. Uh. You know, we always uh
make mistakes, But I've got nothing really jumps out at me.
(18:28):
You know, the tragedy, you know, losing a parent or
a loved one, but you know they luckily, you know
they've left in us. Uh. You don't have to say that.
When when my father passed away, I was twenty one,
but many people lose their loved ones sooner or later.
(18:50):
But it was a big blow to me. But at
the burial, I felt all of a sudden this peace
come over me, and I knew that my father was
uh with me, and he said, you know, basically, don't
worry about it. So uh that was such a great moment, Uh,
(19:10):
in the midst of tragedy to feel this uh, tremendous
peace and almost joy. Uh that hey it's all It's
gonna be good and and uh and you you've got
it and just keep you know, keep going the way
we we taught you and raised you. You're listening to
old On My Name Is podcast, Welcome back to Olah
(20:08):
My Name is the Abrigue Santo's podcast as the big
boss at Goya Right now, what are you most proud of?
You know, myself and my my cousin's and brothers. I
think you can interviewed Frankie last week or uh, you know,
there's things. People are so proud here of the success
(20:29):
that we've had as a company. And of course it's
it's a conglomerate of all these great people working together
and and becoming a significant uh not just brand, but
iconic name, uh, synonymous with the Latino market. And I
think that success has been really a sense of pride
(20:52):
for for all of us. And and you know, uh
we say here we believe Goya Blue. But people are
so proud of being part of this family, and that's
why we continue to try and make it a a family.
And and uh, you know we love each other. We
we uh we hug each other, whether it's two or once.
(21:14):
But but unfortunately we have to be distant at this time.
But we we we all. It's a great family environment.
I've been told your office there in Texas is filled
the family photos and pictures of you with with presidents,
with popes. Yeah, you know, I've had the opportunity to
(21:36):
meet uh a lot of great people. Uh uh not
as many as yourself. And and but I well I'm
adding to my list, uh meeting Andreque. I think so
you know it's um, but like you said, you know
you have to um, don't look up, don't look out
(22:00):
a lot of times you look up at people are
sports figures or whatever, and then you're disappointed later. But
we're all created by God, equal and been many blessings.
But of all the people of other people you've met,
who has really surprised you that impacted you? May be
surprised you in the sense I didn't know this person
was like this or was like that, or I did
(22:21):
actually introduce President Obama at one point, uh met Trump.
Uh I'm an equal opportunity offender. But uh they you know, uh,
no real surprises. What is the main product that that
Goya is selling? Right? Now throughout the pandemic that that's
really taken off. All your products are doing well. But
(22:43):
what's the most sold product. Well, the most sold as
a group are beans and beans, Uh, protein, fiber, antioxidants,
fier nutrients. You combine it with rice, you get a
complete protein. So we're selling uh maybe a quarter of
our businesses and beans and rice is a big, big
(23:04):
guide them also. But what we've been doing in these categories,
which are healthy to begin with, we're focusing on nutrition, organics,
low sodium and and things like that. So uh, you know,
beans are healthy to begin with, their their vegetarian, their vegan,
their protein, and you know, interestingly enough, and I think
(23:26):
it's it's actually a problem going forward. You know, I've
articles in the last couple of days about they're being
as this pandemic exits for the time being. Now there's
a problem with with food. Uh, and you're gonna see more.
Uh they say to biblical times. Of course, you can
(23:47):
get exaggerate and uh, but there's been a lot of
hoarding and you know, uh, there's such a delicate balance
of people on the earth and amount of food that
we can produce use, and of course a lot of
the food availability is skewed too. Uh some areas of
(24:09):
the world where and and of course as many people
who who go hungry at night, millions and millions of people.
So it's it's an issue going forward. Uh So as
as meat processing facilities closed in this country, I think
the proteins are beans can be a great protein, and
(24:30):
I think that's why we're also getting a lot of
demand is you know, uh, protein substitutes for pork and
and and beef and all these chicken and all these
places that are closing down. Um. So it's we continue
to what you know, when we started this, we had
very comfortable inventories. We we started distributing very heavily, producing
(24:55):
very heavily. And when we were looking at buying, which
I've I've done over the years, lining the raw materials,
which many of them come from the United States, we
haven't saying that we're as Latinos were united by language,
were separated by the beans. So if you're gonna eat
a carga manto from Colombia or Carrota Negra, they Venezuela
(25:20):
or Cuba, um uh in Central America. Um. You know. So,
but at the beginning of this process, we had plenty
of inventory and carry over, and now we're seeing that
we might not make it to the end of the season.
The US season is September uh to August, and uh
(25:45):
you know some products had in Mexico or other March
or the out of South America, there are other dates.
But the availability of beans has been uh so incredibly
high that of the the the consumption has been so
high that now we're looking at possible uh scarcity in
(26:08):
warm materials. So there there is it's it's such a
true fear that that that would there would be a
lack possibly in fulfilling these needs, specifically when it comes
to beans. Yeah, things like that, but in this country
maybe not. But then then you're going to see products
in countries where those types of commodities rice and we
(26:30):
are going to be scarce around the world. So uh,
this could be the next pandemic. Bob, you have no
idea how much I've enjoyed my conversation here with you.
I'd like talking to you for for a couple more days.
I always have. I asked my guests to leave a
question for my following guests, not knowing who that guest
is going to be. My last guest happened to be
(26:51):
and you know him, and you're pretty sure you know
his music. They're played around in king Sanas and in
birthday parties and in weddings around the world. Serve right
next to the Goya beans. Of course, he's Elvirepo. And
he leaves this question for you, approximate metalentric to USD
(27:13):
S d S. Maybe whoa can daddy us and D
S d S. If you go to the talctor and
doctor says you've got ten days left, what would you
do with these ten days? Leave it to Elvis to
go very deep there. I probably try to get my
affairs in order and and uh you know, try to
(27:36):
be with my family as much as I could, and
uh so that uh, you know the work. Hopefully I've
done the job along the way and not much to
do except to be around my loved ones and and
spend that time with them. And what question would Bob
and nonway leave to my next guest without knowing who
that person is going to be? Right right? That's that's
(27:58):
a good question. Have fun with it. You can make
get a great question too. You know what would they do? Two? Uh,
improve the world to keep us more united? Uh two,
avoid all the division today we're we've divided into camps
(28:21):
and we're so critical of each other there if you're
on one side of the fence or the other, depending
what what the what what the issue is. But I
see in my lifetime on sixty six that we've grown
more diametrically opposed. So how do you would you change that?
(28:43):
How would you improve the world so that we're more
united and we're not so divided as we've become. Bob,
thank you so much for your time. Keep healthy. Looking
forward to seeing you in person hopefully soon. Thank you,
Good God, bless you my friend. Thank you, thank you.
This is awesome. Bob thinks, thank you so much. Thank
(29:05):
you man. You're you're You're awesome. Goya CEO Babunway c
e O Babu Nonway
Host
Enrique Santos
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