Lotus Foods Releases Impact Report, Highlighting the Company’s Mission to Change the Way Rice Is Grown

Richmond, CA – (June 7, 2022) – Lotus Foods, the leading heirloom and organic rice company, has released an Impact Report that reflects on its 25 years of work to change the way rice is grown around the world.

Since its founding in 1995, Lotus Foods has led the way in promoting organic rice farming practices, rice biodiversity and farmers’ resilience, and since 2008, creating incentives for growing methods that simultaneously mitigate climate change and empower women.

“When we founded Lotus Foods, we wanted to use our business for positive change – to create more well-being for our producers, our consumers and the world we live in. We’re proud to share this overview of what we have achieved and our goals for the future,” said Caryl Levine & Ken Lee, Co-Founders/Co-CEOs.

Rice sustains half the world’s population, and most is grown on small family farms. Producing it is hard on people and the environment. From the start, Lotus Foods has tackled these challenges proactively. The report shares the company’s success in the following areas:

• More Crop Per Drop®:
  Since 2008, Lotus Foods has been working with farmers who practice System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods, which Lotus calls More Crop Per Drop®. These methods minimize water usage, improve soil health, empower women, increase farm incomes, and reduce climate impact. Through the purchase of rice grown using More Crop Per Drop® practices, Lotus Foods has saved 44,349 cumulative tons of CO2e and 4,748,318,887 cumulative gallons of water.
  
  
• Regenerative Farming:
  In 2020, Lotus Foods demonstrated that its farmers using More Crop Per Drop® methods are “going beyond organic”. The company’s traditional White and Brown Basmati Rice, sourced from family farmers in northern India, became certified Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC®) Silver. It is the first rice to achieve this rigorous new standard, which promotes farming that enriches rather than degrades soil and values both animals and workers.
  
  
• Farming Community
  Lotus Foods partners with small family farmers to preserve local biodiversity and grow rice more sustainably. These farmers are at the forefront of climate- and women-friendly production methods. Organic and Fair Trade premiums increase their incomes and support community improvements.
  
  
• Commitments
  Lotus Foods strives to make healthy rice-based products more accessible and enable more farmers to benefit. The company advocates for a more just, equitable food system. These efforts include embracing the values of JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion); making commitments to support organic and regenerative agriculture, sustainable packaging, reduce methane emissions and advocate for agriculture and climate causes; and committing to accelerating reductions in the company’s emissions to be net zero by 2030.

View the full report here.

Since 1995, Lotus Foods has partnered in direct and fair trade with small family farmers around the world who are growing rice more sustainably while preserving rice biodiversity. Lotus Foods’ product line includes pigmented heirloom and organic rice varieties such as Forbidden Rice®, Jade Pearl Rice™, Red Rice, traditional Basmati and Jasmine Rice and Tricolor Blend Rice as well as Rice Ramen, Pad Thai Rice Noodles and Rice Ramen Noodle Soup Cups. Products are available at major retailers nationwide. As a certified B Corporation, Lotus Foods is committed to “Changing How Rice Is Grown Around the World” by focusing on rice grown using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which we call More Crop Per Drop®. SRI minimizes water usage, empowers women, financially rewards farmers and reduces climate impact. As a business co-founded and co-owned by an Asian American, and with a global supply network encompassing family farmers throughout Asia, Lotus Foods stands with the AAPI community and condemns racial violence.