Goya Food Products
Dec0
“My father remained involved in the company until his last days,” said his daughter, Maria Elena Ortega de Wollberg.
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By Viviana Munoz
McClatchy Newspapers
MIAMI — Prominent Cuban entrepreneur Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet, founder of Sazon Goya Food Company, died Sept. 20 at his Coral Gables, Fla., residence at age 79. The cause of death was cancer.
“He died just as he lived, surrounded by his family, in peace with God, with himself and with his friends,” said his youngest son, Jose Antonio Ortega Jr.
“Pepe” Ortega, known to his friends as “El Gallego,” was born in Havana on Oct. 27, 1929. He went to primary school at Belen Jesuit School in the Cuban capital and obtained a Business Science degree from the University of Havana.
After his father died, he started working at a very young age for F. Bonet y Cia, a food distribution business. But he soon used his natural entrepreneurial talent to launch his own business.
“Though he was very young, he had a lot of creativity for business,” his son Jose Antonio said. “He founded the first automobile air-conditioning business in Cuba and soon had a broad clientele.”
In April 1954 he married Lucila Galvis Gomez-Plata, a Colombian woman studying in Havana. They had two children, Maria Elena and Jose Antonio.
“Pepe” Ortega left Cuba with his wife and children in 1960. After a brief stay in Colombia, he moved to Puerto Rico in 1963, where he started a successful career in the food business that eventually became Sazon Goya, in partnership with the Unanue family, owners of Goya Foods.
In 1976, “Pepe” Ortega moved with his family to Miami, where he continued leading his company into new goals of sales and growth until his death. The Sazon Goya products are used mostly at Hispanic homes in the United States and Puerto Rico.
“My father remained involved in the company until his last days,” said his daughter, Maria Elena Ortega de Wollberg.
He was an affectionate father and shared travels with his children, in whom he instilled values of hard work and honesty.
“He leaves behind an enormous legacy of love, effort, integrity and generosity,” his son said.
“Pepe” Ortega was a committed person and an anonymous philanthropist. Among his major beneficiaries are the Centro Mater Foundation, the League Against Cancer, Mercy Hospital and the Jose Marti scholarships.
“To us he was a guardian angel throughout the history of this cause,” said Miriam Roman, executive director of Centro Mater. “He not only helped us with funding but also with guidance and advice.”
He had an excellent sense of humor, and was always laughing. He will be remembered by all those who knew him for his intellectual wit, simple manners, friendliness and generosity, say friends.
Why do Mexicans put lard in their beans? I don't know any fit-’n’-trim Mexicans. Even the skinny ones have a lil’ belly. I just made some excellent refried beans with Goya extra virgin olive oil and butter. Just wondering.
—Skinny White Boy Vegetarian from Dallas who Loves Healthy Tex-Mex
Dear Gabacho: Refried beans made with olive oil? Why don’t you just add tomato and capers to ruin it even more? Whatever floats your barco, but no need to call us a bunch of fatties along the way. Besides, you’re muy wrong. Not only does the Mexican know too many wabby gym rats, all getting their buff bodies ready to further overrun the United States, but lard ain’t what gives the gordos their panzas. “My friend Rick Bayless is skinny and he loves lard!” says Robb Walsh, author of The Tex-Mex Cookbook and perhaps the most Mexican gabacho after the famous Chicago chef. “As Señor Bayless likes to point out, lard is not unhealthy—it is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than butter. When rendered at a high temperature, as it is in Mexico, lard has a roast pork flavor that is part of the traditional taste of tamales, refried beans and moles. Don't use the hydrogenated stuff in the tub—buy your lard at the butcher shop. And it sounds better if you call it manteca.” One further food insult from me: using Goya products to cook Mexican cuisine is like making your Cuba Libre with Hornitos.