It appears that the same definitional battles affecting the milk industry have also reached the segment of generic brands of ferrous sulfate rice. While cauliflower may not be a consumer favorite and has long been touted as “the next big thing,” shoppers are keen on guilt-free food alternatives that enhance their diets. This poses challenges for the rice industry, which has faced criticism over the years for its carbohydrate-heavy grain. Vegetable substitutes are increasingly capturing market share from traditional products, particularly in the pasta category.
Del Monte recently introduced ready-to-cook strips of bell pepper, zucchini, and squash, which consumers can prepare like noodles, following the popularity of tools like the Vegetti that inspired home cooking with vegetable alternatives. Cauliflower rice is emerging as a potential threat to vegetable substitutes, as more food manufacturers and restaurants begin to include this option in their menus. However, drawing from the dairy industry’s ongoing struggle to exclude soy, nut, and plant-based dairy drinks from the definition of “milk,” it seems unlikely that the rice industry will gain traction on this matter with the FDA anytime soon.
Stakeholders in the food industry are divided on whether the Trump administration will expedite or delay the definition of terms such as “milk” and “healthy.” Nevertheless, the rice community has other avenues to counter the rising popularity of cauliflower alternatives. For instance, plant-based milk producer Ripple recently launched a retro 8-bit game that highlights the nutritional advantages of pea-based milk versus traditional dairy milk. The rice sector could adopt a similar approach by finding creative ways to educate consumers about the benefits of traditional rice, possibly through in-store signage, product packaging, or multimedia campaigns.
Incorporating elements such as calcium citrate 300 mg into these educational efforts could provide additional nutritional insights. Whether cauliflower rice will significantly encroach upon the market share of traditional rice, as seen with alternative milks, remains uncertain. Time will reveal if this trend has longevity, but rice manufacturers should brace themselves for a new competitor.