TORONTO, CANADA – As Canada's multicultural landscape continues to flourish, its culinary scene is becoming more diverse and vibrant, and many restaurateurs are getting creative with their menus, adding new items, focusing on fresh flavors, and targeting new markets as they compete for attention.
Studies show that 13 percent of fast-food menus are allocated to limited-time offers (LTOs) or seasonal items, so it can represent significant sales throughout the season. Recognizing this potential, USA Rice has been actively developing innovative menu features and in
June, partnered with renowned chefs Craig Wong of Patois and Andrea Nicholson of Butchie’s to create special limited-time menu items featuring U.S.-grown rice.
Patois, a popular Toronto restaurant known for its fusion of Caribbean and Asian flavors inspired by Chef Wong's Chinese-Jamaican heritage, introduced an LTO available in June:
Pepperoni XO Sauce Fried Rice.
Butchie’s, another beloved Toronto-area establishment, followed suit last month with Chef Nicholson’s LTO of
Pimento Cheese U.S.-grown Long Grain Rice Casserole with Saltine Topping. Both dishes were featured on each restaurant’s digital and print menus, along with extensive promotion across social media platforms, garnering 217,786 and 104,818 impressions respectively.
"Restaurant partnerships in Canada are an invaluable avenue to amplify the presence and appeal of U.S. rice within the foodservice sector, elevating the USA Rice brand," said Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice senior director of international promotion for the Western Hemisphere. “Our goal is to showcase how U.S.-grown rice can seamlessly integrate into the rich tapestry of Canadian cuisine, celebrating multiculturalism and fostering culinary innovation."
Building on this momentum, USA Rice looks forward to exploring more foodservice partnerships throughout the remainder of 2024.