Robert Bob Unanue is an American businessman who belongs to the third generation of the Unanue family, a wealthy Hispanic American family living in New York City. He has been the CEO of Goya Foods since 2004. The company is headquartered in New Jersey. Goya Foods is one of the most popular food brand producers in the United States and many Hispanic countries; the company claims to be the largest Hispanic food company in the United States and the best source of authentic Latin cuisine.
Wiki/Biography
Robert Goya was born on Friday, March 24, 1954 (66 years old in 2020) in Wyckoff, New Jersey. His star sign is Aries. He grew up in the family business in New Jersey. When Robert was 10 years old, his father began taking him to Goya’s Brooklyn production line every Saturday. In 1973, when he was 19, his family moved back to Spain for a few years, where he helped his father start and run an olive oil production business. At the same time, he attended the University of Seville. Although he was born into a stable business family, he took the time to explore things outside of Goya. He also received an accounting degree from Merrimack College in North Andover.
appearance
Height (approximate): 5′ 9″
Eye color: Black
Hair color: Black
Family and Race
Robert was born into a wealthy Hispanic American family. His grandparents, Don Prudencio Unanue Ortiz (grandfather) and Carolina Casal (grandmother), were both Spanish immigrants to the United States.
Robert’s grandparents, Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife Carolina Casa, are the founders of Goya Foods
Parents and siblings
Robert is a third generation member of the Unanue family. His father, Anthony Unanue (died in 1976), was Spanish and his mother was Irish. Robert is the oldest of five siblings. He has three sisters, Carol Freeborn, Mary Ellen Yorio and Lisa Unanue, and two brothers, Tom Unanue and Peter Unanue.
Robert and his brother Peter Unanue
Relationships and Children
He and his wife, Muriel Fitzpatrick, whom he met while studying at the University of Seville, have six children.
Robert Unanue and his wife Muriel Fitzpatrick
Profession
Eager to do something different, he also briefly ran a retro-style restaurant in the late 90s. Later, in 1999, he rejoined Goya Foods after his family asked him to oversee the company’s operations in Florida. After a long family quarrel, he pushed out his uncle and took over as CEO of Goya Foods in 2004. Under his leadership, Goya Foods has achieved tremendous growth. In 2005, in order to expand its customer reach, Goya launched a 10-year strategic plan (from 2005 to 2015), under which the company invested $500 million in global expansion. As a result, under his leadership, the company’s annual sales reached $1.5 billion. The profits gained were reinvested in the business to build more production facilities. According to a 2020 report by Forbes, Goya Foods is the 377th largest private company in the United States and the largest Hispanic food company in the United States.
Political leanings
Robert Unanue leans toward the Republican Party and has donated to the Republican Party and its candidates on many occasions.
dispute
In July 2020, Robert Unanue gave a speech at the White House, calling President Donald Trump a blessing for America. He said,
Mr. President, what can I tell you? I am very fortunate to come to the most prosperous, greatest country in the world. We are very fortunate to have you as our leader, and we will continue to build this country and make it the most prosperous country in the world.”
Trump often targets Hispanics, so his speech in support of US President Donald Trump angered a large segment of Hispanics, to whom the brand primarily caters. As a result, people who were upset with his speech began sharing posts with #BoycottGoya on social media platforms. Robert also reacted to the Boycott Goya movement that was popular on social media.
Facts/Trivia
- Robert is multilingual and speaks fluent Irish, Spanish and English.
- He is also an accomplished dancer, often performing merengue and salsa with his wife at annual Christmas events.
- In 2014, the Unanue family was ranked 170th on Forbes’ list of the richest families in the United States. The family is also the second richest Spanish family in the United States, with a net worth of $1.1 billion.
- Although Robert is the CEO of the largest Hispanic food company in the United States, he lives a simple life.
- He rarely took time off, but when he did, he liked to go to Cape Cod, where he had a vacation home.
- He also loved sailing and owned a small sailboat on Cape Cod, where he often went on sea trips with his wife and children.
- Pink beans and fried plantain chips are two of his favorite dishes.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education