uncle ben's
Ben's Original is the #1 global rice brand, owned by Mars, Inc., selling dry rice, microwave rice, cooking sauces, and meal solutions through major retailers across 17+ countries. It serves mainstream households seeking convenient, branded rice-based meal solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- Headquarters—
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What uncle ben's does
Ben's Original, formerly Uncle Ben's, is a global packaged-rice and meal-solutions brand owned by Mars, Incorporated. Its core product platform is built on a proprietary parboiling process developed by Erich Huzenlaub in the 1940s, which improves grain quality and cooking performance. The brand's product portfolio spans dry rice, microwave rice pouches (READY RICE, launched 2004), Boil-In-Bag rice (launched 1988), One Pan Creations, Street Food noodles, and cooking sauces, positioned as convenient meal solutions for households. In 2020 the brand was rebranded from Uncle Ben's to Ben's Original, with parallel partnerships formed with the National Urban League and United Negro College Fund to support Black communities, reflecting a repositioning of social purpose and brand identity.
The business model is a classic consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) wholesale and retail distribution model. The brand sells through major grocery retailers — ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrison's, Ocado, and Amazon in the UK — and is available in 17+ countries globally, making it the #1 rice brand worldwide by its own positioning. Pricing is set at mainstream CPG price points for dry and convenience rice formats, with revenue generated through unit volume sold via retail shelf-space and e-commerce channels. The brand maintains direct consumer engagement through social media presence on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter/X, and Instagram, and has run consumer programs such as Ben's Beginners (launched 2012) to drive household penetration. As a wholly owned subsidiary of private Mars, Inc., Ben's Original does not disclose standalone financial metrics.
uncle ben's firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- uncle ben's
- Legal name
- Mars, Incorporated
- Website
- https://unclebens.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Ben's Original is the #1 global rice brand, owned by Mars, Inc., selling dry rice, microwave rice, cooking sauces, and meal solutions through major retailers across 17+ countries. It serves mainstream households seeking convenient, branded rice-based meal solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
uncle ben's industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Rice and Cooking Sauces
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Convenience side dishes (mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, rice dishes) manufacturing (AFAKAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC), Meal Kits Featuring Meat/Seafood (Heat-and-Eat Components) (AFANAFAG)
Keywords
uncle ben's business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Consumer Packaged Goods Sales: Ben's Original generates revenue through the sale of rice products and cooking sauces to consumers via retail grocery stores and online retailers. Products include microwave rice pouches, dry rice, cooking sauces, and meal solutions sold through major UK supermarkets and e-commerce platforms.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
uncle ben's product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ben's Original is a packaged food brand that manufactures and sells branded rice products and cooking sauces, including microwave rice pouches, dry rice, pre-prepared meal solutions (One Pan Creations, Street Food noodles, Favourites), and a range of cooking sauces. The brand is owned by Mars, Incorporated and manufactured by Mars Food, with products sold through major grocery retailers and online marketplaces primarily to individual consumers.
Product overview
Ben's Original is a food products company offering a diverse portfolio of rice and cooking sauce products. The portfolio consists of: Microwave Rice pouches (34 varieties including Coconut, Jasmine, Mexican Style, Roasted Garlic, Wholegrain Golden Vegetable, and Onion Bhaji flavors); Meal Solutions including One Pan Creations (Indonesian Nasi Goreng Style, Spanish Paella Style) and Street Food Noodles (Korean BBQ, Singapore, Indonesian Spicy, Japanese Teriyaki); Cooking Sauces (13 varieties including Lemon Chicken, Korma, Sweet and Sour, Medium Chilli Con Carne, Medium Curry); and Dry Rice/Boil in Bag products. The products are designed for convenient meal preparation, with microwave rice heating in 2 minutes and Street Food noodles in 90 seconds. The company was rebranded from Uncle Ben's to Ben's Original in 2020 and is manufactured by Mars Food, part of Mars, Incorporated.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Street Food: Ready meal noodles including Korean BBQ, Japanese Teriyaki, Indonesian Spicy, and Singapore varieties
- Favourites
- One Pan Creations
- Ben's Original Sauces
- Ben's Beginners
Products and services
- Ben's Original Microwave Rice Pouches (Coconut, Jasmine, Mexican Style, Roasted Garlic, Wholegrain Golden Vegetable, Onion Bhaji) Microwaveable rice pouches in 6+ flavor varieties (Coconut, Jasmine, Mexican Style, Roasted Garlic, Wholegrain Golden Vegetable, Onion Bhaji). Each pouch heats in 2 minutes and is designed for individuals and families seeking quick, convenient side dishes with international flavors.
- Ben's Original One Pan Creations (Indonesian Nasi Goreng, Spanish Paella) Pre-seasoned rice dishes for one-pan meal preparation, including Indonesian Nasi Goreng Style and Spanish Paella Style. Consumers add their own protein and vegetables to create complete meals.
- Ben's Original Street Food Noodles (Korean BBQ, Singapore, Indonesian Spicy, Japanese Teriyaki) Ready meal noodles in 250g pouches featuring Korean BBQ, Singapore, Indonesian Spicy, and Japanese Teriyaki flavors. Each heats in 90 seconds and is designed for quick street food-inspired meals.
- Ben's Original Favourites Microwave Rice Meals (Paella Chorizo and Vegetable) Microwave rice meal pouches in comfort food flavors such as Paella Chorizo and Vegetable. 250g pouch format, heats in 2 minutes, designed as a complete single-serve meal.
- Ben's Original Cooking Sauces (Lemon Chicken, Korma, Sweet and Sour, Medium Chilli Con Carne, Medium Curry) Cooking sauces in 450g and 675g jars, including Lemon Chicken, Korma, Sweet and Sour, Medium Chilli Con Carne, and Medium Curry varieties. Designed for quick Chinese-style, Indian-style, and Mexican-style dinners, with many varieties suitable for vegetarians.
- Ben's Original Dry Rice / Boil-In-Bag Rice Dry parboiled rice products including the Boil-In-Bag convenience format launched in 1988. Designed for consumers who prefer traditional cooking methods with the convenience of pre-portioned rice.
Companies that use uncle ben's
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
uncle ben's technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
uncle ben's partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- National Urban LeagueminorPartnership through the SEAT AT THE TABLE Fund scholarship program, supporting aspiring Black students interested in careers in the food industry, as part of Ben's Original's commitment to inclusion and equity following the 2020 rebranding.
- United Negro College FundminorPartnership through the SEAT AT THE TABLE Fund scholarship program, supporting aspiring Black students interested in careers in the food industry, as part of Ben's Original's commitment to inclusion and equity.
- Mars, IncorporatedcoreBen's Original products are manufactured by Mars Food, part of Mars, Incorporated. The parent company provides manufacturing, distribution, and corporate resources.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
uncle ben's competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tilda: UK-based premium rice brand offering plain, microwave and speciality rices (including Indian, Basmati and world cuisine flavours) through the same major UK grocery channels as Ben's Original. Directly competes in microwave and flavoured rice SKUs with a similar positioning around quality and global cuisine.
- Ainsley Harriott: UK brand of flavoured rice, couscous, noodles and meal kits sold through the same major UK supermarkets. Competes head-to-head with Ben's Original's microwave rice, Favourites and Street Food ranges.
- Sharwood's: Mars-owned Asian cooking sauce brand (curry, stir-fry, Chinese). Competes directly with Ben's Original's Indian and Asian-style cooking sauces in the same UK grocery fixture.
- Dolmio: Mars-owned Italian cooking sauce brand sold in the same UK and European grocery channels. Comparable product category (jarred cooking sauces) and same parent-company distribution advantages as Ben's Original Sauces.
- Riviana Foods (Minute Rice): North-American leader in instant and microwaveable rice (Minute Rice brand) and a major branded packaged-rice competitor. Directly comparable convenience format and category positioning to Ben's Original READY RICE pouches.
- Patak's: Mars Food sister brand and leading UK Indian cooking sauces and pastes line. Comparable as a Mars-owned cooking sauce brand sitting alongside Ben's Original Sauces on the same UK retailer shelves.
- Maharaja's Choice / Mahatma Rice: Long-grain and specialty rice brand sold across US grocery and global markets. Comparable as a competing branded rice portfolio targeting the same everyday family-meal occasion as Ben's Original.
- Pot Noodle (Unilever): Unilever's flagship UK ready-in-cup noodles brand. Comparable as a competing 90-second convenience savoury format targeting similar single-serve, time-pressed UK consumers as Ben's Original Street Food noodles.
Broad incumbents
- Knorr (Unilever): Unilever's broad portfolio of stocks, sauces, soups, meal kits and side dishes. Comparable as a wider-format incumbent brand in cooking sauces and quick meal solutions overlapping with Ben's Original's sauces and meal-solutions ranges.
Emerging players
- Nando's (Retail Sauces & Meal Kits): Nando's-branded cooking sauces, marinades and grocery meal kits sold through UK supermarkets. Comparable as a flavoured cooking-sauce and meal-kit brand competing for the same dinner-occasion shelf space.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
uncle ben's social profiles
Digital presenceuncle ben's financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
uncle ben's leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
uncle ben's funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
uncle ben's 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 uncle ben's
What does uncle ben's do?
Ben's Original is a packaged food brand that manufactures and sells branded rice products and cooking sauces, including microwave rice pouches, dry rice, pre-prepared meal solutions (One Pan Creations, Street Food noodles, Favourites), and a range of cooking sauces. The brand is owned by Mars, Incorporated and manufactured by Mars Food, with products sold through major grocery retailers and online marketplaces primarily to individual consumers.
Is uncle ben's a public or private company?
uncle ben's is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was uncle ben's founded?
uncle ben's was founded in 1940.
How does uncle ben's make money?
One revenue line is on record: consumer Packaged Goods Sales.
Who are uncle ben's's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tilda, Ainsley Harriott, Sharwood's, Dolmio, Riviana Foods (Minute Rice), Patak's, Maharaja's Choice / Mahatma Rice and Pot Noodle (Unilever). Knorr (Unilever) is listed as a broad incumbent. Nando's (Retail Sauces & Meal Kits) is listed as an emerging player.
Does uncle ben's have an API?
No public API is recorded for uncle ben's.
What industry is uncle ben's in?
uncle ben's's product category is Packaged Rice and Cooking Sauces. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAHAI, Convenience side dishes (mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, rice dishes) manufacturing, with a secondary code of CRAHAKAC, Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals). Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2000.