Carolina Rice
Carolina Rice is a heritage U.S. rice brand (founded 1927) owned by Riviana Foods Inc., a subsidiary of Spain's Ebro Foods. It produces and distributes white, brown, jasmine, basmati, arborio, organic, and ready-to-heat rice products through national grocery retail and food service channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Carolina Rice does
Carolina Rice is a heritage American rice brand founded in 1927, currently operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Riviana Foods Inc., which itself is a subsidiary of Ebro Foods — a Spanish multinational food conglomerate publicly traded on the Madrid Stock Exchange and one of the world's largest rice companies. Carolina Rice produces and distributes a diverse portfolio of rice products including white rice, brown rice, Thai jasmine rice (white and brown variants), basmati rice imported from India and Pakistan, Arborio rice for risotto, wild rice, organic brown rice, and a "Ready to Heat" line of precooked, microwaveable rice pouches that heat in 90 seconds across multiple flavor variants (Jasmine White, Cilantro Limón, Garlic & Olive Oil, Teriyaki Fried Rice). The brand also offers premium rice-and-grain blends combining jasmine rice with quinoa, red rice, and wild rice.
The company serves two main customer segments: (1) individual consumers and families purchasing rice for home cooking and quick meal preparation (primary segment), and (2) food service operators and professional kitchens using bulk rice SKUs for restaurant applications (secondary segment). Products are sold through national U.S. grocery retail chains and online retailers, with package sizes ranging from 8.8oz single-serve pouches to 320oz bulk containers. The brand holds multiple certifications including Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free, Kosher, MSG Free, and No Added Preservatives across relevant SKUs.
Carolina Rice's go-to-market relies primarily on content marketing — its website hosts an extensive recipe collection organized by cuisine (Mexican, Thai, Korean, Hawaiian, Mediterranean), cooking tips, and a "Where to Buy" retail locator, supplemented by YouTube cooking videos and LinkedIn presence managed at the parent-company level. Revenue is generated through one-time unit-priced packaged goods sales (no subscription or licensing model disclosed), with pricing not publicly disclosed. Rice is sourced from farmers across seven U.S. states (Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas) plus Thailand, India, and Pakistan, leveraging Riviana's parent-company scale and Ebro Foods' global sourcing infrastructure.
Carolina Rice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carolina Rice
- Legal name
- Riviana Foods Inc.
- Website
- https://carolinarice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Carolina Rice is a heritage U.S. rice brand (founded 1927) owned by Riviana Foods Inc., a subsidiary of Spain's Ebro Foods. It produces and distributes white, brown, jasmine, basmati, arborio, organic, and ready-to-heat rice products through national grocery retail and food service channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carolina Rice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Rice Products
- NAICS
- Rice Milling (311212)
- SIC
- Grain Mill Products (2040), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rice & Grain Processing (milling, polishing, parboiling, blending) (AFAKABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Shelf-Stable Ready-to-Eat Meals & Meal Kits (Packaged) (CRADAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Carolina Rice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Carolina Rice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consumer Packaged Goods Rice Sales: Sale of packaged rice products through retail grocery stores and online channels. Products include white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, arborio rice, ready-to-heat rice pouches, and organic varieties sold in various sizes from 8.8oz to 320oz.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail packaged rice products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Carolina Rice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carolina Rice produces and distributes a portfolio of rice products including jasmine white and brown rice, basmati rice, standard white rice, Arborio rice for risotto, whole grain brown rice, wild rice, and organic varieties. The brand also offers a Ready-to-Heat line of precooked, microwave-ready rice pouches (Cilantro Limón, Garlic & Olive Oil, Teriyaki Fried Rice, and other flavors) that heat in 90 seconds. Products are sourced from U.S. farmers and selectively imported from Thailand, India, and Pakistan.
Product overview
Carolina Rice is a brand of Riviana Foods Inc., offering a diverse portfolio of rice products. The product line includes long-grain varieties (Jasmine White Rice, Jasmine Brown Rice, Basmati Rice, White Rice), medium-grain varieties (Arborio Rice for risotto), and whole-grain options (Organic Brown Rice, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Wild Rice). The Ready to Heat line provides precooked convenience products (Jasmine White, Cilantro Limón, Garlic & Olive Oil, and Teriyaki Fried Rice) that heat in 90 seconds. The brand also offers premium blends combining jasmine rice with quinoa and other grains. Products are sourced from U.S. farmers (Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas) with jasmine rice imported from Thailand and basmati rice imported from India and Pakistan.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ready to Heat: Precooked rice products that heat in 90 seconds
- Jasmine Rice
- Aromatics
- Long Grain
- Organics
Products and services
- Jasmine White Rice
- Jasmine Brown Rice
- Basmati Rice
- White Rice
- Arborio Rice (Authentic Medium Grain)
- Organic Brown Rice
- Whole Grain Brown Rice
- Wild Rice
- Ready to Heat Cilantro Limón Jasmine Rice
- Ready to Heat Garlic & Olive Oil Jasmine Rice
- Ready to Heat Teriyaki Fried Rice
- Ready to Heat Rice Line
- Premium Jasmine Rice with Quinoa Blends
Quantifiable outcome
- Ready-to-heat rice ready in 90 seconds
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Carolina Rice
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Carolina Rice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Carolina Rice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ebro Foodsparent companyEbro Foods is the parent company of Riviana Foods Inc., which owns the Carolina Rice brand. Ebro Foods is a major Spanish food group and one of the world's largest rice companies.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carolina Rice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lundberg Family Farms: Family-owned U.S. producer of organic and specialty rice varieties (including aromatic, brown, and wild rice), directly comparable to Carolina's organic and clean-label positioning.
- Tilda Rice: UK-based premium rice brand specializing in Basmati and aromatic rice with a strong ready-to-heat line in the U.S., competing directly with Carolina in the aromatic and convenience segments.
- Success Rice: Brands within Riviana's portfolio offering boil-in-bag and quick-cook rice products, directly comparable to Carolina's Ready-to-Heat convenience positioning.
- Mahatma Rice: Direct sister brand under the same parent Riviana Foods, offering comparable long-grain, jasmine, and basmati rice SKUs through the same national retail channels; the closest peer to Carolina Rice in product mix and distribution.
- Royal Rice (SOS Cuetara/Lustica): Spanish rice brand from the parent Sos Cuetara, present in U.S. Hispanic and specialty retail channels with aromatic and specialty rice offerings competing for the same Hispanic and international-cuisine shopper.
- Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's): Mars-owned national branded rice portfolio including ready-to-heat and flavored rice pouches, the leading mass-market branded competitor with similar product breadth and grocery distribution scale.
- RiceSelect (Arborio Rice / Botanica): Specialty rice brand offering Arborio, Jasmine, and Texmati varieties in retail and food-service channels, directly comparable to Carolina's specialty and Arborio risotto positioning.
- Minute Rice: Another Riviana Foods sister brand focused on instant and microwave rice, the closest direct competitor in the Ready-to-Heat convenience segment where Carolina competes with precooked 90-second pouches.
Emerging players
- Seeds of Change: Mars-owned organic rice and grain pouches positioned in the premium organic ready-to-heat segment, an emerging competitor in the clean-label microwave rice category where Carolina Ready-to-Heat operates.
Broad incumbents
- Zatarain's: McCormick-owned New Orleans heritage brand offering flavored rice mixes and pilafs, an adjacent incumbent in the flavored/seasoned rice category where Carolina competes with seasoned Ready-to-Heat SKUs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carolina Rice social profiles
Digital presenceCarolina Rice compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Carolina Rice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carolina Rice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Carolina Rice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carolina 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 Carolina Rice
What does Carolina Rice do?
Carolina Rice produces and distributes a portfolio of rice products including jasmine white and brown rice, basmati rice, standard white rice, Arborio rice for risotto, whole grain brown rice, wild rice, and organic varieties. The brand also offers a Ready-to-Heat line of precooked, microwave-ready rice pouches (Cilantro Limón, Garlic & Olive Oil, Teriyaki Fried Rice, and other flavors) that heat in 90 seconds. Products are sourced from U.S. farmers and selectively imported from Thailand, India, and Pakistan.
Is Carolina Rice a public or private company?
Carolina Rice is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Carolina Rice founded?
Carolina Rice was founded in 1927.
Where is Carolina Rice based?
Carolina Rice is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carolina Rice make money?
One revenue line is on record: consumer Packaged Goods Rice Sales.
Who are Carolina Rice's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lundberg Family Farms, Tilda Rice, Success Rice, Mahatma Rice, Royal Rice (SOS Cuetara/Lustica), Ben's Original (formerly Uncle Ben's), RiceSelect (Arborio Rice / Botanica) and Minute Rice. Seeds of Change is listed as an emerging player. Zatarain's is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Carolina Rice have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carolina Rice.
What industry is Carolina Rice in?
Carolina 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 CRADAAAJ, Shelf-Stable Ready-to-Eat Meals & Meal Kits (Packaged). Its NAICS code is 311212 and its SIC code is 2040.