Nice Rice
Nice Rice is a UK packaged food brand selling sustainably farmed Basmati rice (dry 1kg bags and ready-to-heat 250g microwave pouches) sourced from 66 SRP Level 3 certified farms in Haryana, India, sold DTC online and through Waitrose, Ocado and Selfridges.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersHammersmith, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nice Rice does
Nice Rice operates two product lines: ready-to-heat microwave rice in 250g pouches (Pure Basmati, Wholegrain, Coconut & Lemongrass, Smoky Chipotle, and Pilau variants) and dry Basmati rice in 1kg recyclable paper bags (Pure and Wholegrain), with bundle discounts available across both lines. Revenue is generated through a dual go-to-market: direct-to-consumer e-commerce on wearenicerice.com (powered by Shopify, with free delivery over £25) and wholesale distribution through UK retailers including Waitrose (national listing from June 2023), Ocado, Selfridges and specialty food outlets, with trade enquiries routed to [email protected]. The company is Certified B Corporation (impact score 111.4), a Great Taste Award and The Grocer's New Product & Packaging Awards 2023 Gold winner, and donates 2% of annual revenues to the Nice Rice Foundation, established at the end of 2023 to fund sustainable rice farming projects.
Nice Rice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nice Rice
- Legal name
- Mission Brands Ltd
- Website
- https://wearenicerice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Nice Rice is a UK packaged food brand selling sustainably farmed Basmati rice (dry 1kg bags and ready-to-heat 250g microwave pouches) sourced from 66 SRP Level 3 certified farms in Haryana, India, sold DTC online and through Waitrose, Ocado and Selfridges.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nice Rice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Rice Products
- NAICS
- Rice Milling (311212), Grain and Oilseed Milling (3112)
- SIC
- Grain Mill Products (2040), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rice & Grain Processing (milling, polishing, parboiling, blending) (AFAKABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods (CRAHAKAD)
Keywords
Where Nice Rice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hammersmith
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nice Rice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct sales of sustainably farmed Basmati rice products including dry rice (1kg bags) and ready-to-heat microwave rice pouches (250g). Revenue generated from both direct-to-consumer online orders and wholesale/retail distribution.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Microwave Rice 250g - Pure/Wholegrain |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Microwave Rice 250g - Flavoured (Coconut, Chipotle, Pilau) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dry Basmati Rice 1kg |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Nice Rice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nice Rice sells sustainably farmed Basmati rice products in two formats: ready-to-heat microwave rice pouches (250g) in Pure, Wholegrain, Coconut & Lemongrass, Smoky Chipotle, and Pilau variants, and dry Basmati rice (1kg) in Pure and Wholegrain varieties. All rice is sourced from 66 SRP Level 3 certified farmers in Haryana, India, and sold via DTC e-commerce and major UK retailers including Waitrose, Ocado, and Selfridges.
Product overview
Nice Rice is a food brand selling sustainably farmed Basmati rice products from Haryana, India. The portfolio consists of two product lines: (1) Ready-to-heat microwave rice in 250g pouches — available in Pure Basmati, Wholegrain Basmati, Coconut & Lemongrass, Smoky Chipotle, and Pilau flavours — and (2) Dry Basmati rice in 1kg recyclable paper bags — available in Pure Basmati and Wholegrain Basmati varieties. Customers can also build their own bundle of microwave rice pouches. The company differentiates on sustainability (49% lower CO2-eq emissions vs. conventional rice via sustainable farming), award-winning taste (multiple Great Taste Awards), and a better business model (premium pricing for farmers, B Corp certification). The Nice Rice Foundation, funded by 2% of annual revenues, supports sustainable rice farming across wider farming communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nice Rice Foundation: Charitable foundation established to fund projects promoting sustainable rice farming practices and improving livelihoods of rice farming communities. The company donates 2% of annual revenues to the foundation.
Products and services
- Wholegrain Basmati Microwave Rice 250g Ready-to-heat wholegrain Brown Basmati rice in a microwaveable 250g pouch made with 98% cooked Brown Basmati rice and 2% vegetable oil, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives; suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Targeted at UK consumers seeking a quick, lower-carbon wholegrain side.
- Pure Basmati Microwave Rice 250g Ready-to-heat Great Taste Award-winning pure Basmati rice in a microwaveable 250g pouch, designed for UK consumers who want a convenient plain rice side with verified sustainable provenance.
- Coconut & Lemongrass Basmati Microwave Rice 250g Ready-to-heat flavoured microwave rice combining Great Taste Award-winning pure Basmati with coconut cream, red pepper, mango puree, lemongrass and lime leaf; 250g pouch targeted at UK consumers wanting a quick Thai-inspired side. Contains soy.
- Smoky Chipotle Basmati Microwave Rice 250g Ready-to-heat flavoured microwave rice pairing Great Taste Award-winning pure Basmati with tomato, red peppers, adzuki beans and chipotle chilli in a 250g pouch; positioned for Mexican-inspired dishes.
- Pilau Microwave Rice 250g Ready-to-heat aromatic Pilau microwave rice in a 250g pouch, with a spice blend originating from Seema, one of the farmers Nice Rice works with in Haryana, India; ready in 2 minutes and targeted at UK consumers seeking a quick Indian-inspired side.
- Wholegrain Basmati Rice 1kg (dry) Dry Brown Basmati heritage variety rice packed in 1kg recyclable paper bags, grown in Haryana, India and packed in the UK; targeted at UK home cooks seeking a nutty wholegrain Basmati with verified sustainable provenance.
Quantifiable outcome
- 49% lower CO2-equivalent emissions compared to conventional rice farms
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Nice Rice
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nice Rice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Nice Rice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Nice Rice FoundationcoreNon-profit foundation established end of 2023 to fund projects promoting sustainable farming practices and improving livelihoods of rice farming communities. Company donates 2% of annual revenues.
- Haryana Farmers (66 farmers)coreGroup of 66 farmers near Fatehabad in Haryana, India who have been using sustainable rice farming methods since 2019. All certified at SRP Level 3 (highest sustainability grade). Farmers receive premium price for achieving highest sustainability standards.
- GoodshippingcoreFirst rice brand in the world to use Goodshipping's decarbonised sea freight biofuels for shipping. The company purchases renewable, carbon neutral fuel for container ships, reducing shipping emissions to zero.
- Erika Styger / Cornell UniversitycoreErika Styger leads the Climate Resilient Farming team at Cornell University and developed sustainable rice farming techniques. She introduced founder Fergus O'Sullivan to farming contacts in India and provided expertise on farming concepts, supply chain, and smallholder farmer challenges.
- Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)coreCo-founded by United Nations Environment Programme and International Rice Research Institute. Provides the standard of 41 practices for sustainable rice cultivation. Nice Rice sources 100% from Level 3 certified farms.
- AtSourcecoreCalculates CO2-equivalent emissions using IPCC 2019 guidelines (volume 4, chapter 5) for emissions from rice cultivation, using primary data from Nice Rice farms.
- Control UnioncoreIndependent verification of farm data including water usage and emissions calculations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nice Rice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Veetee Rice: UK rice brand with a strong ready-to-heat microwave pouch range. Directly competes in the convenience rice format Nice Rice targets, with overlapping retailer listings.
- Tilda Rice: UK-leading premium Basmati rice brand with broad retail distribution. Directly comparable as a branded Basmati specialist, though Tilda's positioning is heritage/premium rather than sustainability-led.
- Merchant Gourmet: UK premium prepared grain and pulse brand selling pouch and ready-to-heat products via Waitrose, Ocado, and Sainsbury's. Closely comparable on premium positioning, channel mix, and convenience format.
- Bosto: UK microwave rice and noodle brand stocked across major grocers. Directly competes in the ready-to-heat rice category with similar format, pricing band, and channel presence.
Broad incumbents
- Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's): Global mass-market rice brand owned by Mars. Competes in both dry and microwave rice categories across UK grocery, representing the volume benchmark Nice Rice must displace to scale.
- Patak's: UK Indian food brand (owned by Associated British Foods). Comparable as a UK-distributed Indian cuisine specialist, with adjacent rice accompaniments and shared trade channels.
- Riverford Organic Farmers: UK organic produce brand with strong DTC subscription model and B Corp credentials. Comparable as a UK sustainable food brand selling direct and through ethical retail, though in fresh produce rather than rice.
Regional players
- Tastic: South African rice brand with UK distribution. Comparable branded rice offering though primarily serving a different geography; relevant as a peer in the broader branded rice space.
Emerging players
- Doshi: UK-based sustainable Indian food brand focused on ethical sourcing. Comparable as a fellow small UK premium Indian pantry brand targeting Waitrose and specialty retailers with sustainability credentials.
- Heura Foods: European plant-based food brand built on sustainability credentials and B Corp-style positioning. Comparable as a venture-backed mission-led European food brand competing on ESG differentiation in commodity-adjacent categories.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nice Rice social profiles
Digital presenceNice Rice compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Nice Rice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nice Rice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nice Rice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nice Rice M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nice Rice
What does Nice Rice do?
Nice Rice sells sustainably farmed Basmati rice products in two formats: ready-to-heat microwave rice pouches (250g) in Pure, Wholegrain, Coconut & Lemongrass, Smoky Chipotle, and Pilau variants, and dry Basmati rice (1kg) in Pure and Wholegrain varieties. All rice is sourced from 66 SRP Level 3 certified farmers in Haryana, India, and sold via DTC e-commerce and major UK retailers including Waitrose, Ocado, and Selfridges.
Is Nice Rice a public or private company?
Nice Rice is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nice Rice founded?
Nice Rice was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nice Rice based?
Nice Rice is headquartered in Hammersmith, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Nice Rice make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Nice Rice's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Veetee Rice, Tilda Rice, Merchant Gourmet and Bosto. Broad incumbents are Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's), Patak's and Riverford Organic Farmers. Tastic is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Doshi and Heura Foods.
Does Nice Rice have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nice Rice.
What industry is Nice Rice in?
Nice Rice's product category is Packaged Rice Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKABAE, Rice & Grain Processing (milling, polishing, parboiling, blending), with a secondary code of CRAHAKAD, In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods. Its NAICS code is 311212 and its SIC code is 2040.