Hispanic-owned food company Goya Foods, Jersey City, N.J, is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the unveiling of a 240,000-sq.-ft., sustainable production facility in Secaucus, N.J. The new plant is part of a $250-million investment that includes the opening of four other facilities in 2014. Equipped to produce and distribute more than 4 million cases of Goya products annually, the plant features new production machinery with state-of-the- art technology, such as a continuous-motion line that produces 600 boxes of Goya's rice mixes per minute − six times faster than Goya's past production capability.
Goya added 6,552 solar panels on the facility's 3.7 acres of rooftop to generate more than 70 percent of the building's energy supply to provide a net zero carbon footprint. The company also is currently working on the installation of rail service alongside the facility, which will reduce transportation costs, traffic congestion and fuel consumption.
"The opening of our new production facility in Secaucus, along with our current headquarters in Jersey City, not only enables us to operate more efficiently and cost effectively but most importantly, extends 80 years of Goya's heritage in providing our consumers with authentic, high quality and affordable Latin products," says Bob Unanue, president.
Goya now has a total of 26 facilities and employs over 4,500 people throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain. Between 2014 and 2015, the company opened plants in Texas, California and Georgia as well as its current headquarters in Jersey City. Bolstering is capabilities will allow Goya to maintain its mission to produce more than 2,500 authentic, affordable premium products to national and global markets.
