Blink:

Last month I wrote about the key issues foodservice will encounter in 2020.  I highlighted that consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about food thanks to the Internet. Consequently, storytelling will be essential.  One company that does a great job is Lotus Foods, winner of SMARTKETING’s seventh Gretzky award.

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Several years ago, at a conference I met Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, leaders of Lotus Foods.  Back in 1995 they founded their company with the vision to support sustainable agriculture, specifically handcrafted exotic rice grown on family farms in remote areas of the world.  Their story?  Certain varieties of their rice are grown using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), the process of cultivating rice where small-scale farmers double or triple their yields while using 80-90% less seed, 50% less water, minimal chemical inputs.  These varieties of SRI-grown rice are called “More Crop Per Drop”  bring special attention to water, a diminishing resource in the rice-growing world; an opportunity for small farmers to produce more food under healthier conditions and make more income.  As a company, they have won numerous awards over the years and have been active participants in the Clinton Global Initiative to alleviate poverty.

Lotus Foods: Great story!  Caryl and Ken: Good people!  Two individuals I know are passionate about making this planet a better place.  Congratulations Lotus Foods, winner of SMARTKETING’s seventh Gretzky award – skating to where the puck is going to be!