GOYA EXPANDS BEYOND THE HISPANIC MARKET

Authenticity drives loyalty, and therefore Goya foods is an interesting example for marketers as to how important it is to cater to various ethnic groups in the most genuine manner possible.  “To us, its important to make the connection through a product that maybe we’re not going to sell truckloads of but we’re going to have the product on the shelf so when a consumer goes in they can say, ‘Wow, I can relate to Goya because it’s authentic, this product makes me feel like I’m at home,’ states Peter Unanue, Goya’s Executive Vice President in Charge of Distribution.

Now as the “general market” becomes more interested in ethnic cuisines, Goya has positioned itself as the “authentic” option that you don’t have to rummage through ethnic markets to find. In other words, Goya is becoming white, according to South Coast Today.

Goya, founded around 77 years ago by Spaniards who had just arrived in New York from Puerto Rico, has become the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, bringing in over 1.3 billion dollars in sales in 2012. Not only has Goya delved deep into marketing authentic Latino products, they have expanded  their reach to additional cuisines such as Indian and Chinese, as well as catering to second and third generations immigrants who might want something a bit more modern with a touch of “home.”  Goya has even been able to draw in general market shoppers seeking out ethnic foods.