"It's the most recognized Hispanic brand in the United States," she said.

Over the years, firms representing Goya approached her about a possible partnership, according to Marquez-Sharpnack, who is considered a "brand influencer."

But Goya would only compensate her with its products, which she found "disheartening" because she wanted to partner with an Hispanic brand.

"I never worked with them because I can't pay the bills with frijoles," said Marquez-Sharpnack, who nonetheless continued to recommend Goya products in her recipes.

But she now counts herself among the many Latinos who say they won't buy Goya products after Goya CEO Robert Unanue appeared Thursday in the White House Rose Garden and praised President Donald Trump.

"I'm certainly looking for alternatives that I will recommend versus Goya," said Marquez-Sharpnack, a native Texan now lives in Colorado.

Goya CEO compares Trump to his grandfather

Unanue's appearance at the Washington ceremony announcing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative sparked outrage on social media.

The hashtags #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya exploded. Prominent Hispanic American leaders called for a boycott.

Unanue compared Trump to his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant who founded the company in 1936.

"We are all truly blessed ... to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder," Unanue said Thursday.

"That is what my grandfather did. He came to this country to build, to grow, to prosper. We have an incredible builder, and we pray. We pray for our leadership, our president."

That Unanue would compliment Trump angered many people, especially because the President is unpopular among Hispanic Americans.

"Trump has said that Latinos, or Mexicans specifically, are bringing in the drugs, are rapists, are criminals and for (Unanue) to stand there and say that Trump reminds him of his grandfather ... It goes against everything I think we should be doing for our own community," Marquez-Sharpnac said.

Fernando Ferrer, the former Bronx borough president and New York City mayoral candidate noted that, "Goya is a brand that was always synonymous with and harkened back to the days of Puerto Ricans and Cubans and even the earliest Dominicans coming to New York."

"Goya was it," said Ferrer, who is of Puerto Rican descent. "My wife is very brand loyal: 'No. I only want Goya this. I only want Goya that.' Now that makes it very, very difficult when a CEO does these things. But they've always had this tone deafness to their own community."

He won't apologize for praising president

The calls for a boycott intensified Friday after Unanue told "Fox Friends" that he was "not apologizing" for praising Trump. He called the boycott movement "suppression of speech." He noted that he had accepted an invitation from Michelle Obama in 2012 to an event promoting the former first lady's healthy-eating initiative.

"You're allowed to talk good or talk praise to one president but" prais

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