MANAGUA, NICARAGUA – During the trade servicing visit, USA Rice’s Asiha Grigsby pivoted her focus from trade to promotions to serve as one of three judges at a USA Rice-sponsored promotional cooking competition held last week at the Cook Working Center here.
Four teams, each made up of a social media influencer and a student chef, competed head-to-head to highlight the versatility of U.S. rice in entrées, desserts, and beverages. The event was live-streamed on Facebook and Instagram, with recipes later posted on the Piensa en Arroz website to extend reach and engagement. Grigsby also gave interviews for digital content and presented gift baskets filled with rice and cooking supplies donated by importer partners to each participant.
The cooking competition, called
Sabores con Arroz: The Challenge of Talent and Passion, has been held in five Central American countries over the past two weeks—El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua—featuring four teams in each country with 40 participants in total (20 influencers and 20 student chefs). The contests have created strong buzz on social media and driven new consumer awareness of U.S.-origin rice across the region.
“These competitions are a dynamic way to engage younger audiences and showcase just how versatile U.S. rice can be,” said Grigsby. “By partnering with influencers and student chefs, we’re connecting directly with consumers and inspiring new ways to enjoy rice in everyday cooking.”