For years, Goya Foods CEO Robert “Bob” Unanue has been a lightning rod in the political world—not just for running one of America’s largest Hispanic-owned food companies, but for his unapologetic support of former President Donald Trump.
Now, new speculation suggests Unanue could be pushed out of his leadership role at Goya.
But is there any truth to the rumors? So far, there’s no clear confirmation—just a lot of online chatter.
Unanue isn’t just another corporate executive. He’s a third-generation leader of the family business, which was founded by his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant, back in 1936.
For years, he kept his focus on running the company—until 2020, when he stepped into the political spotlight.
That July, Unanue appeared at the White House alongside President Trump for an event focused on Hispanic economic opportunity. While there, he praised Trump as a “builder” and compared him to his own grandfather.
His comments immediately sparked backlash from left-wing activists and politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Obama HUD Secretary Julián Castro, who encouraged Latinos to boycott Goya products over Unanue’s support for Trump.
Social media exploded with the hashtag #BoycottGoya, urging people to ditch the brand.
But here’s the twist—the boycott backfired.
While left-wing activists tried to hurt Goya’s bottom line, conservatives fought back by launching a “buycott” to support Unanue and his company.
High-profile figures like Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump promoted Goya products, and the support led to a 22% surge in sales in the weeks following the controversy.
Unanue even mocked the boycotters later that year, joking that Ocasio-Cortez had been Goya’s “employee of the month” because her boycott calls had only boosted sales.
Despite strong support from conservatives, Unanue’s political activism didn’t sit well with everyone at Goya—including his own family.
After the 2020 election, Unanue made headlines again when he questioned Biden’s victory on Fox Business, calling it “unverified” and hinting at a “coming war.”
Goya’s board, largely made up of family members, censured him, blocking him from speaking to the media without approval.
That didn’t stop him.
In February 2021, he took the stage at CPAC, where he doubled down on his claims that Trump was still the “real, legitimate, and actual president.”
This reignited boycott calls and worsened tensions within Goya’s leadership. Reports later suggested that a majority of Goya shareholders wanted Unanue gone, but because of the company’s family-controlled structure, removing him wasn’t so simple.
Fast forward to today, February 24, 2025—and the speculation is back. Some posts on X (formerly Twitter) claim that the Goya board is once again looking to remove Unanue, but there’s no official confirmation from the company.
What is true is that family tensions over politics have never gone away. Some Goya executives, like Unanue’s cousin Andy Unanue, have distanced themselves from Bob’s outspoken views, arguing that Goya should focus on food, not politics.
However, Unanue has continued to be a major conservative voice.
He spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, appeared at a Trump rally in Arizona, and even wrote a book titled Blessed, Donald J. Trump, and the Spiritual War, framing his support for Trump as a stand against cancel culture.
So, is Bob Unanue actually stepping down? Right now, it’s just rumors with no solid evidence.
Yes, his political activism has caused friction within the company.
Yes, there have been past attempts to remove him.
But he has kept Goya profitable, and as long as that continues, his future at the company may be safer than his critics hope.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
