Goya Foods has announced the retirement of Carlos Ortiz after 35 years with the company, alongside the appointment of Jesús Vázquez as its new General Counsel. The change marks a senior leadership transition at one of the most established players in the US FMCG and packaged food sector.
The announcement was made on January 6, 2025, from Jersey City, New Jersey, where Goya Foods is headquartered.
Ortiz joined Goya in 1989 and served as Vice President and General Counsel throughout a period of major expansion for the business. Over more than three decades, he advised the company on corporate governance, labour law, intellectual property, and regulatory matters, while helping protect and scale one of the most recognisable brands in the US Hispanic food market.
Before joining Goya, Ortiz worked across auditing, tax consulting, and litigation. Alongside his corporate career, he played a prominent role in the US legal community, including serving as National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association. His work extended beyond the company, with involvement in advocacy and judicial representation at federal level.
Goya said Ortiz’s legal leadership helped shape the company’s long-term stability and supported its growth across manufacturing, distribution, and brand development within the competitive US FMCG landscape.
Jesús Vázquez takes over the General Counsel role after several years working closely with the company. He joined Goya Foods as Assistant General Counsel in 2022, following a long career in private practice and earlier experience as outside counsel to the business.
Before entering the legal profession, Vázquez spent seven years in the aerospace industry as a guidance and navigation engineer at Martin Marietta Aerospace Corporation, working on the Titan IV Space Launch Vehicle programme for the US Air Force. He later transitioned into law, building a 28-year legal career with a strong focus on intellectual property, litigation, and corporate advisory work.
Since joining Goya Foods in-house, Vázquez has been involved in corporate governance, compliance, intellectual property management, and the mediation of class-action litigation. He has also supported community and education partnerships linked to the company’s wider social engagement activities.
Founded in 1936, Goya Foods is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, manufacturing and distributing more than 2,500 products across grocery categories. The company remains a significant supplier within the US FMCG market, with products sourced from and inspired by Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
The leadership transition comes as Goya continues to operate in a highly competitive US food retail environment, where regulatory oversight, brand protection, and supply-chain complexity remain critical issues for large FMCG manufacturers.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on Goya Foods’ official January 6, 2025 company announcement and publicly available corporate background information. It is intended for readers tracking executive leadership changes within the US FMCG and packaged food manufacturing sector.
