Lotus Foods
Encyclopedia
Lotus Foods is an El Cerrito, California
, company run by Ken Lee and Caryl Levine that works in importing heirloom and exotic rices produced by family farmers. The idea for the company came in 1993 when Lee and Levine took a marketing research trip to China. Lee and Levine found themselves in a rural area and were intrigued to be served a bowl of black rice because they had never seen such a thing. This was the impetus behind them starting Lotus Foods Inc. and introducing Forbidden Rice
, their first and most popular line.
and is considered to be both food and medicine in China. Forbidden Rice has a dark purple color because it is rich in anthocyanins, which act as powerful antioxidants. The rice contains more vitamin B, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc than white rice.
The name "Forbidden Rice", and the popular understanding that it was eaten only by royalty likely comes from the term 御稻 (yù dào) or imperial rice. Chinese sources attribute the classification of this rice as imperial tribute to the Kangxi Emperor
of the Qing Dynasty
who marveled at the hybrid breeding and harvest times of this unique rice.
Lotus Foods' Forbidden Rice has been praised for its unique flavor, deep color, and nutritional quality. Forbidden Rice won the prestigious National Association for the Specialty Food Trade
awards for "Outstanding Product Line" and "Outstanding Food Service Product".
, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia
, and Madagascar
. They have also introduced Forbidden Rice Flour.
Lotus Foods has also introduced Kaipen
to the US market. Kaipen is a Laotian snack made of algae and sesame seeds.
. In 2008 they were invited as panelists to discuss Food Security and Poverty at the Clinton Global Initiative alongside Madeline Albright and representatives for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
. In 2009 they were awarded Nutrition Business Journal's Environment and Sustainability Award for their SRI related work done in conjunction with Cornell University
's SRI Global Marketing Partnership.
El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California
-Transportation:The city's primary transportation infrastructure consists of the El Cerrito Plaza and El Cerrito del Norte BART stations along with several local bus lines, operated by AC Transit, providing access to the surrounding area and the nearby cities of Albany, Berkeley and Richmond...
, company run by Ken Lee and Caryl Levine that works in importing heirloom and exotic rices produced by family farmers. The idea for the company came in 1993 when Lee and Levine took a marketing research trip to China. Lee and Levine found themselves in a rural area and were intrigued to be served a bowl of black rice because they had never seen such a thing. This was the impetus behind them starting Lotus Foods Inc. and introducing Forbidden Rice
Black rice
Black rice is a kind of sticky rice which is one of several black colored heirloom plants producing rice variants such as Indonesian black rice and Thai Jasmine Black Rice. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron , zinc, copper, carotene, anthocyanin and several...
, their first and most popular line.
Forbidden Rice
Lotus Foods first introduced Forbidden Rice into the USA in 1995 and has trademarked the term. Forbidden Rice is a strain of Chinese black riceBlack rice
Black rice is a kind of sticky rice which is one of several black colored heirloom plants producing rice variants such as Indonesian black rice and Thai Jasmine Black Rice. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron , zinc, copper, carotene, anthocyanin and several...
and is considered to be both food and medicine in China. Forbidden Rice has a dark purple color because it is rich in anthocyanins, which act as powerful antioxidants. The rice contains more vitamin B, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc than white rice.
The name "Forbidden Rice", and the popular understanding that it was eaten only by royalty likely comes from the term 御稻 (yù dào) or imperial rice. Chinese sources attribute the classification of this rice as imperial tribute to the Kangxi Emperor
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor ; Manchu: elhe taifin hūwangdi ; Mongolian: Энх-Амгалан хаан, 4 May 1654 –20 December 1722) was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the first to be born on Chinese soil south of the Pass and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722.Kangxi's...
of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
who marveled at the hybrid breeding and harvest times of this unique rice.
Lotus Foods' Forbidden Rice has been praised for its unique flavor, deep color, and nutritional quality. Forbidden Rice won the prestigious National Association for the Specialty Food Trade
National Association for the Specialty Food Trade
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade is a not-for-profit business trade association established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry in the USA...
awards for "Outstanding Product Line" and "Outstanding Food Service Product".
Rice & other products
Since their formation in 1995 they have launched at least 12 different kinds of heirloom rice from locations such as China, BhutanBhutanese red rice
Bhutanese red rice is a medium-grain rice grown in the Kingdom of Bhutan in the eastern Himalayas. It is the staple rice of the Bhutanese people....
, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. They have also introduced Forbidden Rice Flour.
Lotus Foods has also introduced Kaipen
Kaipen
Kaipen is a Laotian snack made of fresh water green algae, vegetables, and sesame seeds.Kaipen is produced in the city of Luang Prabang in Northern Central Laos. During the hot dry summer months, when the river level is at its lowest, the green algae, called kai, is gathered from the river bottom....
to the US market. Kaipen is a Laotian snack made of algae and sesame seeds.
Awards and recognition
Lotus Foods has won multiple awards for their products as well as for their involvement in SRI riceSystem of Rice Intensification
The System of Rice Intensification is a method of increasing the yield of rice produced in farming. It was developed in 1983 by the French Jesuit Father Henri de Laulanie in Madagascar. However full testing of the system did not occur until some years later...
. In 2008 they were invited as panelists to discuss Food Security and Poverty at the Clinton Global Initiative alongside Madeline Albright and representatives for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. It is "driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family"...
. In 2009 they were awarded Nutrition Business Journal's Environment and Sustainability Award for their SRI related work done in conjunction with Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
's SRI Global Marketing Partnership.