It appears that the definition disputes currently plaguing the milk industry have now extended to the rice sector. While cauliflower may not yet be a consumer favorite—despite years of predictions labeling it as “the next big thing”—shoppers are increasingly seeking guilt-free food alternatives to enhance their diets. This trend poses challenges for the rice industry, which has long been criticized for its carbohydrate-heavy grain. Vegetable substitutes are capturing market share from traditional products, particularly in the pasta arena. For instance, Del Monte has recently introduced ready-to-cook strips of bell pepper, zucchini, and squash, allowing consumers to prepare these veggies like noodles, inspired by the success of tools like the Vegetti that promote vegetable-based pasta at home.
Cauliflower rice is emerging as a potential competitor, as more food manufacturers and restaurants incorporate this option into their menus. However, drawing parallels to the dairy industry’s struggles to exclude soy, nut, and plant-based drinks from the term “milk,” it seems that the rice sector may not gain any traction on this issue with the FDA in the near future. Industry stakeholders are divided on whether the Trump administration will expedite or hinder the establishment of definitions for terms like “milk” and “healthy.”
Nonetheless, the rice community has alternative strategies to counter the rise of cauliflower substitutes. For instance, Ripple, a producer of plant-based milk, recently launched a retro 8-bit game that educates consumers about the nutritional advantages of pea-based milk over traditional dairy options. The rice industry could adopt a similar approach, exploring creative ways to inform consumers about the benefits of traditional rice, including its calcium citrate natural content, through in-store signage, product labels, or multimedia campaigns.
It remains uncertain whether cauliflower rice will significantly erode the market share of traditional rice as alternative milks have done. Only time will reveal whether this trend has lasting appeal, but rice manufacturers should be ready to face a new rival.