Lotus Foods

During a market research trip through China in 1993, Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, partners in life and business, sat down to steaming bowls of black rice. Caryl remembers, “The flavor was so delicious—it had a roasted nutty taste with hints of fruit and the plate presentation was so exotic. We fell in love with the rice and went to the market the next day to buy some and find out more about this amazing grain.”

Caryl and Ken discovered it is called ‘longevity’ or ‘tribute rice’, reserved for the Emperors to ensure their good health and long life. The two started pondering a line of exotic specialty rice handcrafted on small farms in remote areas of the world. A month later, while walking around the Forbidden City, Ken came up with the name Forbidden Rice.

Lotus Foods now imports annually almost 600 tons of rice and carries a dozen individual rice products that are organically and conventionally grown. But the company’s mission goes beyond providing consumers with artisan rice: It is committed to helping communities become market ready or linking them to markets in countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh and China.

Lotus Foods works closely with producer groups to achieve organic and Fair Trade certifications. Using a novel methodology called the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), farmers can increase their yields using less water, seeds and agrichemicals and reduce methane output. More small farmers around the world are beginning to adopt this methodology and Lotus Foods is giving them a market and a voice. “Unless we help them differentiate themselves from other producers,” notes Caryl, “the farmers will not get the premiums they deserve for making the break from chemical- and water-intensive growing methods.”

Here's more of what Caryl had to say about Lotus Foods and its mission.

1. What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Doing something that is not only good for the consumer but good for the farmer who grows the rice, and now, perhaps more important, good for the planet. Five years ago, when Cornell University introduced us to the System of Rice Intensification, a system that enables farmers to grow more rice with less inputs (50 percent less water, 90 percent less seed), we knew that this was an important role for us to play a part of the solution to food security and climate change challenges.

2. If someone could shadow you for one day at your job, what would surprise that person most?

How many hours I work and the variety of things I get to juggle in one day. As a small company with a big mission, we are very hands on, which I like. I talk to consumers, retailers, distributors, our sales manager, designer and printer, as well as internationally with our partners and/or farmers. After normal business hours when the office is quiet is when I get to be my most creative self—writing, creating recipes, doing strategic planning and research and development. 

3. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an athlete. I always loved sports and still do. Being in nature is important to me as well. 

4. What’s is your favorite way to prepare your rice?

Risotto. We just developed a great recipe for making risotto in our stainless steel rice cooker. I never minded standing over the stove stirring the risotto while adding the stock but was I extremely surprised how delicious the risotto came out in the rice cooker. After sweating the onions, toasting the rice, adding the wine and letting it evaporate, I put the stock in the cooker and let the cooker do the rest! It had a wonderful texture.

5. Aside from your products, what food can you always find in your kitchen?

Premium dark chocolate and fine whole-leaf teas. 

6. How do you see your business changing or growing in the next decade?

We are committed to bringing to market more SRI-grown rice varietals from other countries and increasing volume within the supply chain. Along with introducing more unique varietals, we want to help our current farmers switch from conventional methods to SRI practices. Another commitment is to move our entire line to organic and Fair Trade, which is better for consumers and producers. We feel it's an important obligation to make consumers more aware of the social and environmental issues related to rice production and how they can make a difference. All of this will mean recruiting key people to help take Lotus Foods to the next level. It’s an exciting time for us and the timing is perfect!—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.