Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the US, has opened its new state-of-the-art, sustainable corporate headquarters in Jersey City, NJ as part of a $500 million global expansion over the past 10 years. Founded in 1936, Goya manufactures, packages and distributes more than 2,200 products from the Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America and operates 26 facilities around the world. In 2014, Goya opened up three new facilities in Texas, California and Georgia.

The new headquarters features a 600,000-square-foot warehouse for distribution and a 42,000-square-foot corporate office space, as well as a renovated 240,000-square-foot production facility in Secaucus, NJ The new facility ensures the retention of more than 500 jobs and creates 100 new positions.

Goya President Bob Unanue, Goya Executive VP Peter Unanue, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Secaucus Deputy Mayor Marcos Vigil celebrated the opening with a ribbon cutting last month.

“This marks the largest expansion in Goya’s history,” Bob Unanue says. “It is the culmination of almost 80 years of hard work and part of a 10-year strategic plan, designed to reach new consumers and strengthen the Goya brand worldwide.”

Constructed to provide a net zero carbon footprint, the Jersey City facility will be completely powered by a solar-powered energy system using 12,000 panels on 11 acres of rooftop. The system will fulfill the entire facility’s electrical needs without drawing any energy from the public grid. This translates into the ability to generate enough energy to power 30,000 homes on an annual basis.

“We are very excited to complete this stage of our strategic plan and to reap the overall benefits it will provide,” Peter Unanue says. “We recognize the important role businesses play in leading the way for social and environmental change. Each new facility will enable us to operate more efficiently and environmentally friendly, as well as support our growth for many more years to come.”

 The Secaucus facility currently under renovation will be equipped with solar panels, rail service and advanced technology, including a continuous motion line for Goya’s popular rice mixes, which will produce 600 packages per minute, a rate six times faster than the current production capability.