Last week, USA Rice partnered with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) to celebrate U.S.-grown rice on campus during the Ragin’ Cajun Rice Festival. More than 700 students and faculty joined in the celebration of National Rice Month and the Louisiana rice industry.
As part of the festival offerings, USA Rice hosted a booth where students could learn about Louisiana-grown and U.S.-grown rice directly from staff and hear key messages around nutrition, sustainability, and how it is a “must have” ingredient for any pantry. Students were educated on the different domestic rice varieties and were exposed to Louisiana-grown rice brands while hearing how U.S. rice compliments a budget-friendly, balanced meal plan suitable for campus life.
Every visitor to the booth received samples of Louisiana rice donated by 4Sisters, Cajun Country, and Supreme Rice along with USA Rice-branded giveaways including rice stickers, kitchen conversion magnets, and measuring cups.
Students also got to enjoy seeing the rice in action. Award-winning Chef Rusty Noel was on campus courtesy of Supreme Rice, where he and his team served a delicious crawfish etouffee while the university dining staff served up their famous jambalaya, a vegetarian fried rice, and cilantro lime rice.
The festival provided an opportunity to connect directly with the next generation of rice consumers while introducing students to the local farms and brands that help bring U.S.-grown rice from the field to their tables.
“Rice is such a big part of what we serve here, so it was really fun to see the students come out and celebrate it,” said Sarah Cannon, marketing manager for Sodexo at ULL. “We’re always looking for ways to give them meals they enjoy, and rice is something that works across so many different dishes. It was great to be part of an event that also shines a light on the farmers who grow it.”
In addition to promoting the U.S.-grown difference directly to college students and campus staff, USA Rice made a donation to the school’s food pantry comprised of rice donated by Louisiana brands, extending the impact of the event beyond the festival itself.
“Thank you to ULL dining services for their partnership in hosting the first ever Ragin Cajun Rice Festival. Events like these allows us to showcase the U.S.-grown difference and increase awareness of local rice brands to an age group that is very receptive to understanding where their food comes from and willing to try new cuisines,” said Cameron Jacobs, vice president of domestic promotion for USA Rice. “And a big thank you to Cajun Country, 4Sisters, and Supreme Rice for their participation and donations to this rice-centric campus event.”