Canned Cooked Rice: The Market Potential for a New Food Product

Excerpts from the Summary: A new process for partially cooking and canning rice has been developed by the Western Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service. The result is an easy-to-prepare, convenient form of cooked rice. A market test of this new form of rice, prepared from California short-grain rice, was undertaken in Fresno, Calif., in April -September 1957 to ascertain its sales position and consumer acceptance. Sales of "Insta Rice," the name given the new product, averaged about eight number 303 cans per store per week for all 46 stores handling the product for the entire 19-week market test period. Sales were, of course, influenced by demonstration, promotion, and special display. Stores that used these promotional devices averaged somewhat higher sales than the rate reported for all 46 stores. This was true not only when the promotions were in progress but there were also carryover effects. Insta Rice attained a favorable sales position relative to the other quick-cooking dry rices, canned Spanish rice, and canned long-grain white rice during the market test.