Lotus Foods facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Genre | Natural foods; Heirloom rice; SRI Rice |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Ken Lee; Caryl Levine |
| Headquarters | , |
Lotus Foods is a company from Richmond, California. They bring special, handmade rice from small family farms to the United States. Caryl Levine and Kenneth Lee started the company in 1995. Their most famous product is a unique black rice called Forbidden Rice.
How Lotus Foods Started
Lotus Foods began in 1995. The founders, Caryl Levine and Kenneth Lee, had visited China two years earlier. There, they tried a special black rice they had never seen. This amazing discovery inspired them to start their company.
What Kinds of Rice Do They Sell?
Lotus Foods sells many different types of rice. These include classic kinds like basmati rice and jasmine rice. They also offer unique types such as Black Forbidden Rice (black rice). Other special rices are Jade Pearl Rice, which has bamboo extract, and Bhutanese red rice. You can also find Madagascar pink rice and Volcano Rice. In 2018, they started making Rice Ramen soup cups. These are instant noodles made from their own rice noodles.
Awards and Special Recognition
Lotus Foods has won many awards. They are recognized for their products and for helping with SRI rice. SRI is a way to grow rice that uses less water and helps farmers.
In 2008, the company was invited to speak at the Clinton Global Initiative. They talked about how to make sure everyone has enough food. Important people like Madeleine Albright were also there.
In 2009, they won an award for their work with SRI rice. This work was done with Cornell University. Their Forbidden Rice also won an award in 1998. It was named a Silver Finalist for "Outstanding New Product." Overall, Lotus Foods has won nine Sofi Awards for their products.
