Maybe Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue’s running some kind of perverse experiment in reverse psychology. Have you heard of the Goya “buy-cott,” in which Trump supporters are claiming to be buying up Goya products? I’m skeptical.
Last week, Unanue visited the White House, because he respects the presidency and will not turn down an invitation regardless of which political party holds the presidency. Fair enough.
But, for reasons that I can’t figure out, Unanue also said America is “blessed” to have a “leader” like Electoral College misfire Donald Trump.
Has Unanue been living under a rock? Donald Trump started out his campaign for the Republican nomination based on hatred of Mexicans. What does Unanue think building the dumb border wall was about? Preventing Americans from going to Mexico? And why no wall on the northern border?
After obtaining the title of president of the United States, Trump failed in his responsibilities to the people of Puerto Rico, doing little besides toss paper towels at a crowd in San Juan. The idiot had to be told not to throw cans at the crowd. That would have been a horrible but apt metaphor.
So right there Trump has probably alienated the vast majority of Goya employees and customers. Unanue’s neither Mexican nor Puerto Rican, but he’d do well to study Martin Niemöller’s biography. “Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.” It’s sadly too easy to update those remarks.
Maybe chef José Andrés can explain it to Unanue:
When I first heard about the Goya boycott, I seriously underestimated how many Goya Foods products I have at home. I won’t throw any of them in the trash, because that would be stupid. Like the jackasses who burned their Nike shoes because of Colin Kaepernick. Goya already got your money for the Goya products you’ve already purchased.
Obviously I won’t be returning Goya products to the store either, because stores are not giving refunds. And why might that be, Unanue ought to ask? Because the “leader” we are so “blessed” to have has completely botched the coronavirus pandemic response.
Donating the Goya products I have to a food bank might be an option. Most likely, though, I’m going to be pragmatic and consume those products. But I won’t be buying any more, not as long as an unapologetic Unanue remains CEO of Goya Foods.
For black beans and other legumes, whether bagged or canned, there are plenty of alternatives to Goya. And not just Bush’s baked beans, as Stephen Colbert so hilariously suggested. Honey Bee Market in Detroit has nothing to worry about here. I’m sure there are even more alternatives at Kroger, Meijer and the Spartan stores.
This reminds of a few months ago, when my mother asked me to get her some white kidney beans. Even back then, she did not want the Goya brand. But she didn’t say this, because she didn’t know Goya made those. So she was dismayed when that was what I brought her.
For plantain chips, it’s more difficult. I’m aware that CVS Gold Emblem has plantain chips, but I suspect they don’t do too well in a price comparison to Goya. Obviously Honey Bee Market doesn’t sell Gold Emblem. I think Goya might be the only plantain chip brand at Honey Bee. However, there are a few lesser known brands of plantain chips at E & L that are only slightly more expensive than Goya.
Malta Goya is the most recent Goya product I’ve bought. I bought some the day before Unanue made his unfortunate remarks. Malta Goya now has a malt drink made with real sugar, like presumably it was made decades ago, instead of high fructose corn syrup.
I couldn’t quite tell the difference, so I bought what is now “regular” Malta Goya. I probably couldn’t tell the difference in a blind taste test, but I am aware that “classic” Malta Goya has fewer calories than Malta India made with high fructose corn syrup. I need to inquire of the Compañía Cervecera de Puerto Rico if they have a malt drink with real sugar.
As for adobo, I think that’s slightly spicier than I like, so I’m not too worried about it. Though I do wonder what Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) turned up in her Google search...
The main open thread questions: What are the alternatives to Goya products you can buy? Are those alternatives better, the same or worse in quality? What are the alternatives to Goya products that you can make yourself?
Side question: How do you pronounce Unanue’s name? I thought it was “oo-nah-noo-eh” but Colbert says “you-nan-weh.”
Friday, Jul 17, 2020 · 1:50:03 AM +00:00
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Alonso del Arte
I had no idea Goya made chocolate wafers. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen the product on store shelves. So it’s an easy one for the list of substitutions.
Of the products pictured here, it might be the only one of the pictured Goya products the out of shape bastard would actually eat. Well, maybe he’d eat white hominy if it was breaded and deep-fried in pork lard.
And of course this is just another little provable crime on Trump’s long and varied list of crimes big and small, provable and unprovable.