Nov 12, 2021
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- USA Rice is pulling out all the stops with the rollout of a multi-faceted campaign here to spread the word about U.S. origin rice. In September, the Authentic American Rice, or Arroz Americano Auténtico (AAA) in Spanish, campaign kicked off, raising consumer awareness of the AAA logo on brand packaging with signage on buses and billboards, radio ads, TV advertisements, and a social media campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube that has reached 90 million people.
USA Rice originally pitched the AAA concept to Mexican trade partners, emphasizing the value of U.S origin rice due to its versatility, accessibility, and unmatched dedication to sustainability. To date, four importers have signed licensing agreements with USA Rice to place the AAA logo on their bags of U.S. rice.
“It is an honor for us to contribute to the Arroz Americano Auténtico campaign, leading Mexican families to consume quality competitive products with the support of USA Rice,” said Juan Carlos Gutierrez, CEO of Surtidora el Bajio.
Although origin labeling is a requirement in Mexico, it’s often placed on the back of rice bags but the AAA logo is placed on the front of the bag, garnering attention – and sales!
“The AAA campaign is gaining momentum among importers as they see the upside of partnering with USA Rice on these promotions,” said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president of international. “Mexico is our largest export market and while we have seen an increase in competition here from South America and Asia in the last decade, USA Rice is determined to educate consumers and importers alike on the benefits of U.S. origin rice.”
Twenty five percent of U.S. rice exports go to Mexico on an annual basis. The U.S. currently has 89 percent of the market share here, and exported 625,000 MT of rice from January to September 2021, valued at nearly $245 million.