The Puerto Rican Chef Calling Out Goya for Betraying the Latinx Community
Consumers have been boycotting the brand since its CEO came out for Trump
Chef Eric Rivera grew up with a pantry full of Goya products. Adobo, beans, rice, tostones, sazón — you name it, his parents likely bought it. It was a way for the Riveras to stay connected with their Puerto Rican roots as they built their lives in Washington state, thousands of miles away from the island.
But today, Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned company in the United States, is facing intense backlash from Latinx consumers following comments from CEO Roberto Unanue. “We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder,” Unanue, a member of the second wealthiest Spanish American family in the United States, said at a White House event last week. The remarks came after announcing a donation through Trump’s new Hispanic Prosperity Initiative.
To Rivera and many Latinx people across the nation, who don’t support the president, the comments felt like a betrayal. They are now boycotting the brand, while conservatives have issued a counterprotest, encouraging Trump supporters to buy Goya products.
Rivera, who owns the Seattle-based restaurant Addo, has long been selling sazón…
