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Why I’m Breaking Up With Goya — And Have Wanted To For A While

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You may be considering tossing all of your Goya products. We've found plenty of other options for adobo and sazón.   (John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx)
You may be considering tossing all of your Goya products. We've found plenty of other options for adobo and sazón. (John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx)

Many consumers have been turning up the heat on Goya Foods, purveyor of Latinx foods and ingredients, since CEO Robert Unanue announced his support and praise for President Donald Trump last week.

Unanue saying the U.S. was “blessed” to have Trump’s leadership sent angry ripples through Goya’s core market of Latinos, many of whom consider the brand’s products to be an essential household staple, and was especially poignant given the president’s history of racist statements about that community.

Many social media users have called for a boycott of Goya, and public figures including chef José Andrés and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have criticized Unanue. (There’s power in where you spend your money — and although boycotting brands can be an effective way to enact change, there are also concerns that doing so would hurt its workers more than the man at the top.)

I grew up in a Colombian and Puerto Rican household, and we were never without Goya in our kitchen. My mom always prepared meat with Goya Adobo, we had a pantry packed with Goya Frijoles and Habichuelas cans, and my abuela taught me to rely on those little foil packets of Goya Sazón to make everything taste a little bit better.

I was disappointed to learn that the head of a brand we love so much doesn’t love us back. But I’ve been thinking about breaking up with Goya for a while, and this was just the kick I needed to do it.

We’ve found a few healthier adobo and sazón options from small businesses and name brands alike. (HuffPost)
We’ve found a few healthier adobo and sazón options from small businesses and name brands alike. (HuffPost)

Goya Adobo is a blend of garlic, oregano, black pepper and other Latin spices that instantly adds authentic flavor with just a simple shake. Goya Sazón packs coriander, garlic and cumin into a magical little foil packet of flavor.

A closer look reveals some less exciting added ingredients, including tricalcium phosphate (an anti-caking agent), Monosodium glutamate (MSG), synthetic dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40, and a whole lot of...

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