WATERLOO, CANADA – USA Rice continued its promotional efforts in Canada as a silver sponsor at the
Culinary Federation’s Annual Conference, held here late last month. Bringing together more than 450 influential chefs and culinary leaders from across the country, the event provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the quality, versatility, affordability, and sustainability of U.S.-grown rice.
Event attendees represented a broad cross-section of the industry, including executive chefs, restaurant owners, culinary instructors, and student chefs. To support engagement and brand visibility, USA Rice staffed a booth to distribute trade resource kits, branded shopping lists, and foodservice partnership leaflets.
“Since Canada relies heavily on imported rice from the U.S., it’s essential that we continue to demonstrate the value and versatility of choosing U.S.-grown rice in a foodservice operation,” says Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice senior director of international promotion for the Western Hemisphere. “Conferences like these allow us to engage directly with culinary decision-makers, while showcasing support of Canada’s foodservice industry.”
The event helped grow the USA Rice Canada trade newsletter subscription base by 3.5 percent. Efforts to grow trade newsletter subscriptions will continue across all trade-focused activities planned for 2026.
“Many attendees recognized USA Rice as a consistent sponsor year-over-year, which demonstrated strong brand recognition and ROI on awareness-building efforts in Canada,” said Grigsby. “Many chefs also shared their long-standing preference for U.S. rice, highlighting its versatility and overall value. They continue to rely on U.S. rice for its quality and dependability compared with rice sourced from other origins, reinforcing the importance of ongoing education and direct engagement with Canada’s culinary community.”