Shanghai Trade Show Gets a Taste of U.S.-Grown Rice

SHANGHAI, CHINA --  More than a thousand visitors stopped by the USA Rice booth at the recent Food and Hotel China (FHC) trade show here.  Most were from the food service industry, but several special guests partook in the taste testing, including U.S. Consul General James Heller, Shanghai Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) Director Erik Hansen, and ATO Shanghai Deputy Director Mark Hanzel.

USA Rice worked with Master Chef Lai to develop an FHC tasting menu that showcased seven types of U.S. rice:  long grain, long grain parboiled, jasmine-type long grain, southern medium grain, calrose, calhikari, and calmochi.  Lai and his team of assistants prepared 700 samples of different recipes made with U.S.-grown rice, including Indian-style fried rice, sushi, fried rice balls, and rice pudding.

“The sushi made from calrose had excellent stickiness control, and the rice pudding made from the calmochi rice was different and superior to other rice puddings I have tasted,” said Mr. Luo, the general manager of Xiamen Esmill Food, a restaurant supplier for fast food and online food delivery caterers.  “The long grain rice was well suited to fried rice, maintaining separateness and firm texture, and held up well to the spiciness of the dish.”
 
Along with the usual recipe brochures and new U.S. industry sustainability infographics, USA Rice also handed out lists of all qualified exporters, provided samples of U.S. rice brand packaging, and showed short video clips, with Chinese translation, of exporters introducing their companies.

“The first commercial shipment of U.S. rice cleared customs in Xiamen, China, on October 27, and is now available at retail and online there,” said Jim Guinn, USA Rice director of Asia promotion programs.  “We are hopeful this purchase will break the ice for further sales of U.S. rice to China, and our promotion efforts, like FHC, will help spread the word about U.S. rice variety, quality, safety, sustainability, and now availability.”