What Types of Rice Are Consumers Buying?

Take a trip down the rice aisle of any local grocery store and you’re going to see a variety of new and exotic offerings. As a retailer, that begs the question, “Am I stocking the rice varieties that my consumers are searching for?” Riceland conducted a national survey of over 3,000 rice shoppers to find out what kinds of rice they’re stocking in their pantries.

Trends and behaviors are constantly changing and consumers now have more access to more exotic rice varieties than ever like Basmati, Jasmine, Red, Black and many others. The key to your success is making sure you’re carrying the right mix of product to keep your customers’ carts full and your profit margins high.

While white rice is clearly still king of the aisle, you’ll notice that there has been some significant growth in several of the more exotic varieties that’s worth noting to increase growth potential from your rice assortment.

When it comes to who is buying what, the foodie demographic is 50% more likely to buy exotic rices like Jasmine and Basmati. Interestingly enough, price-conscious shoppers are 25% more likely to purchase exotic varieties like Jasmine or Basmati as well.

On the opposite end of that spectrum, the older generations of rice shoppers are the least likely to buy any varieties except for white rice. These breakdowns could be helpful when looking at the demographic tendencies of your particular store or location.

To learn more about the results of this study and how Riceland is helping customers stock the right mix of rice varieties to meet consumer needs, contact your Riceland sales representative or reach out to our sales team here.