It required an abundance of sugar and slave labor for its production as it was made in large batches within cauldrons cooking over a slow fire.

Very similar to goiabada is the closely related Colombian bocadillo, also made from guava but with more sugar.

It is commercially available, most often packaged in flat metal cans, or as long rectangular blocks in chipboard boxes.

Goiabada may come in many widely different possible textures, ranging from a thin paste, meant to be eaten with a spoon or spread on bread or cakes, to very hard slabs that can be sliced with a knife only with some difficulty.

The many different kinds of goiabada depend on the type of guava, the proportion of sugar, the amount of water, and the cooking process.