[1] The company was founded in 1936 by Prudencio Unanue Ortiz and Carolina Casal de Valdés, a Spanish married couple, who emigrated to New York City.

Under Joseph's tenure as chief executive Goya became a major corporation, which by 1998 produced about 800 food items, employed 2,000 workers, and had about $700 million in revenue.

[4][5] Goya Foods was established in the United States in 1936, in New York City,[7] by Prudencio Unanue Ortiz (1886–1976) from Valle de Mena, Spain.

[3] Joseph's son Andy Unanue, the chief operating officer of the company, was forced out of Goya amid the disagreement,[3][15] prompting litigation.

[18][19] Goya manufactures and distributes products from the Spanish, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Mexican, Cuban and Central and South American cuisine.

[20][21] Between 2014 and 2016 Goya opened five new facilities including manufacturing and distribution centers located in New Jersey, Texas, California, and Georgia to meet rising consumer demand.

[22] Goya also operates a manufacturing facility in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, and a distribution center in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

[34] On January 26, 2021, Goya's board of directors voted to censure Unanue following statements disputing the 2020 United States presidential election, banning him from speaking to the media.

[35] During CPAC 2021, Goya Foods CEO Unanue claimed the 2020 election was illegitimate, and that Donald Trump was "the real, the legitimate, and the still actual president".

[36] Goya Foods logo and imagery has been featured in artwork, including paintings, prints and sculptures, most notably by Cuban-American artist Ric Garcia,[37][38][39] sculptor Alexander Mijares,[40][41][42] painter John Kilduff,[43] and others.