Riceland Foods
Riceland Foods, Inc. is a farmer-owned[1] agricultural marketing cooperative and the world's largest miller and marketer of rice. The company was founded in 1921 with headquarters in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Riceland owns and operates seven rice mills, including the largest rice mill in the world, located in Jonesboro, Arkansas. More than two-thirds of Riceland’s business is delivering, milling, storing, marketing and distributing rice.[2]
 | |
| Agricultural marketing cooperative | |
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | 60 countries |
Key people | K.Danny Kennedy,
President & CEO, Roger Pohlner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Richard E. Bell, Former President & CEO |
| Products | Rice, Soy, Wheat, Corn |
| Revenue | $1.3 billion |
| Members | 5,500 |
Number of employees | 1,500 |
| Website | www |
Some commercially available products under the Riceland Rice label include milled white, brown and parboiled rice, and Rice 'N Easy Flavored Rice. The co-op also sells products to retailers, food service, and food manufacturing companies globally. Riceland also produces rice bran oil and rice flour and offers rice bran and hulls to pet food makers and livestock farmers as feed ingredients and bedding.[3]
Riceland is also a major soybean processor in the Mississippi Delta region of the United States where milling, pressing, packaging and distribution occurs. It refines soybean and other vegetable oils for food service and food manufacturing companies. Soybean meal products are sold primarily to the poultry and catfish industries. In addition, winter wheat and limited quantities of corn are handled, depending on the needs of farmer-members.[4] Bi-products that are commercially marketed include organic gardening amenities like PBH (pasteurized rice hulls) and rice hull ash which are bio-degradable and bio-renewable soil supplement replacements for perlite and vermiculite.[5]
Each year, more than 1,500 employees receive, store, transport, process, and market more than 125 million total bushels of grain produced by its 5,500 farmer/owner members in Arkansas and Missouri.
Leadership
Riceland Foods is led by a Board of Directors which is composed entirely of farmers. Directors are elected by Riceland's members to formulate policies for the cooperative organization. The CEO of Riceland Foods answers directly to this Board of Directors. The board's chairman and vice chairman provide leadership for the group. Standing committees are appointed to monitor specific areas of the cooperative's business and to report findings to the board. Special committees are appointed as needed. Riceland's members elect 24 fellow farmers as directors, representing the cooperative's geographic regions of operation. These directors serve three-year terms, with one-third of the board being elected each year. They are responsible to act in the best interest of the total Riceland membership in addition to representing the members of their geographic district.[6]
Sales as of fiscal year end July 31
| Year | Revenue | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | $947 M | [7] |
| 2008 | $1.23 B | [8] |
| 2009 | $1.30 B | [9] |
| 2010 | $1.10 B | [10] |
| 2011 | $1.10 B | [11] |
| 2012 | $1.15 B | [12] |
| 2013 | $1.32 B | [13][14] |
| 2014 | $1.16 B | [15][16] |
| 2015 | $1.12 B | [17] |
| 2016 | $1.01 B | [18] |
| 2017 | $941 M | |
| 2018 | $950 M |
According to a Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis article, Riceland is responsible for one-third (or more) of the total U.S. rice crop.[19]
As one of the largest rice millers and marketers in America, Arkansas-based Riceland Foods sells an assortment of rice and oil products through its e-commerce site, food-service distributors, and retail locations nationwide.
Riceland is a cooperative owned by 5,500 family farmer members who are also stockholders and growers.
Products & Services
Rice Milling Riceland is the world's largest rice miller, operating seven mills. Five rice mills and two parboiling plants operate at rice milling centers at Stuttgart and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Riceland also operates rice mills at Waldenburg, Arkansas and New Madrid, Missouri. Multiple rice milling sites allow Riceland to process rice orders quickly and efficiently. Each year, Riceland mills and markets more than 35 percent of the total U.S. rice crop. Rice flour is produced in Jonesboro and Waldenburg. Rice bran oil is produced in Stuttgart. Non-GMO Soy Flour is produced in the Stuttgart, Arkansas area.
Grain Storage Riceland is recognized as one of the nation's top 10 grain storage companies. Crops are received from farmers at harvest and stored at locations in Arkansas and Missouri. Riceland can store 112 million bushels (2.1 million metric tons) of grain, which is monitored until needed at processing plants or moved into marketing channels.
Consumer Products Packaged and flavored rice products are marketed under the Riceland brand. Vegetable oil and shortening products are sold under Riceland and private label brands. Riceland also packages rice for many private label and store brands.
Food Service Products Riceland is a major supplier of food service products. Rice and oil products are supplied to restaurants, fast-food chains, cafeterias and military installations.
Ingredient Rice Products Rice, rice flour and rice bran oil is used in a wide variety of snack foods, bakery products, cereals, crackers, baby foods, dry packaged mixes, frozen entrees, side dishes and pet foods. Riceland sells rice and rice ingredient products to food manufacturers.
Export Rice Products Riceland is a direct exporter of rice products, selling to more than 70 foreign destinations. Principal markets include the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Canada and the Middle East. Riceland also has customers in Scandinavia, Central and South America and Eastern Europe.
Rice Feed Ingredients/Hulls Feed ingredients have expanded with products supported by the Research and Technical Center. Defatted rice bran, mill feed and hulls are sold to both the livestock and pet food industries as ingredients. Some rice hulls are burned for energy and the ash is used as an absorbent. Rice hulls are also used as a pressing aid in fruit juices extraction and as bedding in poultry houses.
Soybean Meal A major Mid-South USA soybean processor, Riceland produces soybean meal in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Most of the soybean meal is consumed by the region's poultry and aquaculture (fish farm) industries.
Edible Oils An edible oil refinery at Stuttgart refines crude oils extracted from soybeans and rice bran into oil and shortening products. Corn, canola, peanut and cottonseed oils are also refined and blended.
Grain Merchandising Wheat, soybeans and rice are marketed as raw grains. Wheat is exported to Mexico and Egypt. Soybeans are sold to domestic buyers. Rough rice is sold to Mexico and Central America. There are year-round barge loading terminals on the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers.
Research & Technology Riceland's Research and Technical Center, located at Stuttgart, houses separate soybean and rice research laboratories to conduct product development, product and process improvement, and customer support. Riceland's business lines are supported by on-site analytical, food applications, and regulatory compliance labs, consumer and foodservice test kitchens, and a pilot plant.
Training & Education Riceland's Training and Education Center is located at Stuttgart. [20]
In the News
US Rice Exports to Cuba In 2015 a U.S. Senate committee heard from Riceland Executive and Senior Vice President Terry Harris about the economic impact rice trade with Cuba could have on the US rice industry and farmers. He spoke before the US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee during a hearing on Opportunities and Challenges for Agricultural Trade with Cuba. [21] [22] [23]
References
- Farmer Owned Cooperative
- Riceland Overview
- Riceland Foods Article Arkansas Business
- Riceland Website
- PBH Nature's Amendment
- Riceland Leadership
- Income, revenue climb at Riceland Foods. EBSCO Host Connection,January 2008
- Rice Milling. HighBeam Business.
- Riceland Foods Sales At $1.3B For Fiscal Year. Associated Press, 25 Nov. 2009,
- Arkansas Business
- Riceland Reports $1.1 Billion in Sales. Arkansas Business,18 Nov. 2011.
- Arkansas Agriculture Interests Strengthen Revenues. Arkansas Business, 20 May 2013.
- Riceland reports best year in history at annual meeting Stuttgart Daily Leader. 22 Nov 2013
- Stuttgart Rice Mills Make Top 100 List of U.S. Cooperatives, October 8, 2015 Talk Business & Politics, Oct 8, 2015.
- Riceland sales total $1 billion-plus for 7th consecutive year Stuttgart Daily Leader. 25 Nov 2014
- Stuttgart Rice Mills Make Top 100 List of U.S. Cooperatives, October 8, 2015 Talk Business & Politics, Oct 8, 2015.
- Riceland reports $1B in Sales for 8th year in a row Stuttgart Daily Leader, Nov 20, 2015.
- Riceland reports $1B in Sales for 9th year in a row Stuttgart Daily Leader, Nov 7, 2016.
- Rice Industry Stands Tall in Stuttgart, October 2005
- Riceland Business
- Riceland Foods seeks trade with Cuba
- Arkansas Matters
- KATV-7 ABC News