Rice Association says ‘Rice Up Your Life’ this National Rice Week

National Rice Week returns for its fourth year this September (13th – 19th), with a multichannel campaign that will help to raise the profile of the UK rice sector. Led by The Rice Association, the campaign will invite the nation to "Rice Up Your Life" and highlight everything that rice offers – from its versatility to its nutritional benefits. The organisation is calling on food businesses and retailers to make the most of National Rice Week this year and join the celebrations.

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Working with well-known chefs and influencers, including twice Michelin-starred Atul Kochhar and chef, Jack Stein, the campaign will once again help to highlight the benefits of rice across media and social channels. Activity will demonstrate the many ways different varieties of rice can be used and enjoyed both in and out of home.

“National Rice Week is a great opportunity for the food industry to engage with consumers, celebrate rice, and ultimately increase consumption," said Jon Calland, Chair of The Rice Association. "As people get more adventurous with their cooking, rice meets their needs and UK consumers today enjoy the widest selection of rice varieties from across the world.

The rice sector is currently worth £900m a year to the UK economy with 88 per cent of UK households buying rice each year. In the UK there are 11 rice mills, each catering to different segments of the market, all of who stepped up supply during the pandemic to meet record demand. We’re now calling on the whole food industry, from brands, and retailers, to wholesalers and foodservice to get involved and celebrate National Rice Week this September.”

How business can make the most of National Rice Week:

• Feature National Rice Week in your promotional campaigns and marketing activity – use the logo (available from The Rice Association) to highlight the campaign on packaging, in-store and on in-house materialUse National Rice Week to launch new products
• Hold in-store tastings, promotions or competitions
• Work with customers and suppliers to create events and promotions around National Rice Week
• Share content online across websites and social media channels using #NationalRiceWeek and #RiceUpYourLife and inspire social media followers to cook with rice whether that be new recipes or old favourites
• Ensure that your whole business knows about National Rice Week – from the sales and marketing teams, through to those working in-store.

To help celebrate and support the foodservice industry, The Rice Association will also be relaunching their website, which will include an interactive map where restaurants and venues can share details of their National Rice Week activity and events. Consumers will then be able to find out ‘what’s on’ in their local area during the week.