Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet, founder of Sazon Goya, dies at 79

Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet, the founder of the Sazón Goya, died of lung cancer at his home in Coral Gables, Fla. Saturday morning. He was 79.

The creator of the "Sazón Goya" line of spice blends and seasonings, Ortega Bonet's products offered consumers an easy way to create unique Latin American dishes and came to exemplify the diversity of the region's cuisine. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1929, Ortega Bonet -- a.k.a. "Pepe" -- began his professional career working for a food distribution company, but soon left to start his own business, an automobile air conditioning firm.