The largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States (U.S.) has expanded its production facilities as part of a $250 million investment.

As part of Goya Foods' effort to expand globally in support of consumer demands, four new "state of the art" manufacturing, production, and distribution facilities were confirmed to open in California, Georgia, New Jersey, and Texas. The goals of the new facilities are to reach new consumers and strengthen existing brands not only within the U.S. but also in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

"With the growing Hispanic population and the need for good nutrition, it's an opportune time for Goya to expand," said Goya Foods President Bob Unanue. "For more than 78 years, Goya has not only positioned itself as a leader in the Latin American food industry and a trusted American brand, but as an iconic symbol of the Hispanic culture."

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One of the four facilities has opened in the Houston area. With the new 350,000 square-foot facility on a 130-acre farm, the Houston facility is responsible for distribution of Goya's healthy bean line, producing 1,000 cans per minute for consumers west of Mississippi. The Houston facility has been regarded as the "prime hub" for the bean line manufacturing.

The Texas location is said to be a "strategic" decision for Goya due to affordability and "favorable" business climate in the state. In addition, the railroad transportation and Houston's port serves as a launching pad for global exports especially to the Panama Canal. The Houston facility is also environmentally sustainable with an advanced water treatment plant that recycles and purifies water for production.

The California facility is situated in Los Angeles. The 250,000 square foot facility will serve the West coast while the Atlanta-based 151,000 square foot facility will service Georgia and its surrounding areas.

The New Jersey location is part of Goya's largest expansion in the company's history with nearly 900,000 square feet for the facility. Scheduled to open in the fall, Jersey City will include both office space and a warehouse on 40 acres of undeveloped land. A renovated 240,000 square foot facility in Secaucus will be given a new rice packaging line for the production of 600 bags of Goya rice per minute, which is six times faster than the current production.

With the four new facilities, Goya Foods has 12 plants, most handle distribution and production. Goya Foods' facilities are not exclusive to the U.S. as Puerto Rico hosts a manufacturing, distribution, and production facility. The Dominican Republic is also home for a distribution and production facility. In Europe, Spain's Seville and Toledo cities are responsible for production and distribution, respectively.

Goya's latest expansion helps the company push its healthy eating efforts that included its participation with the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama's MyPlate/MiPlato campaign. The collaboration is a national health initiative to education Americans on eating healthily. As part of the campaign, Goya produced over 336 million cans with the MyPlate logo and over 250,000 copies of the initiative's brochures, cookbook, posters, and lesson plans.

"Our commitment to excellence is the cornerstone of providing our consumers with products that offer 'good taste, good for you and good value,' all key elements that resonate with our popular tagline that our grandfather created, 'If It's Goya, It Has To Be Good'."

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